During a recent fireside chat with Malaysian journalists, Faishal, also Singapore’s senior minister of state for home affairs, said the Singaporean government carefully vets all religious speakers to ensure their preachings are not divisive.

“We have (our own) criteria as some topics are sensitive,” he said, adding that Singapore does not condone violence or extremism as such actions could disrupt the country’s social harmony.

In 2017, the government barred renowned Islamic preacher Ismail Menk, from Zimbabwe, and Haslin Baharim, a Malaysian, from entering Singapore, on grounds that their “segregationist and divisive teachings” were incompatible with the country’s multi-racial, multi-religious framework.

Youth radicalism and headscarves

Beyond monitoring preachers, Faishal said his ministry is working proactively with the youth to counter extremism at the grassroots level.

He said his ministry conducts mosque visits and holds sessions in schools to counter youth radicalism, amid a rise in extremist content driven by artificial intelligence.

“(Our) programmes aim to teach students not only about faith and morality but also how to resist extremist narratives online,” he said.

Faishal was also asked if Muslim students and women in schools and uniformed services should be allowed to wear headscarves.

The Singapore government currently has a no-headscarf policy for public schools and uniformed services – although nurses were granted an exemption in 2021 after several engagement sessions.

“It is something that we continue to raise and explain to the community — why the government thinks that having a consistent uniform and identity is important.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that some within Singapore’s Muslim community aspire to see the no-headscarf policy lifted.

“I will continue to engage community leaders, the prime minister and my Cabinet colleagues (on this matter),” he said.