9 publications by Singaporean banned for extremist content

This article is more than 12 months old

Jun 20, 2017 03:27 pm

Nine publications by a Singaporean author have just been gazetted as prohibited.

The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said today (June 20) that the publications by Rasul Dahri contain extremist religious views, including the rejection of the idea of a secular state and a call to Muslims to establish an Islamic state.

The books, by two publishers in Johor Bahru, have been prohibited under the Undesirable Publications Act, and the prohibition is effective starting tomorrow (June 21).

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said the author had "betrayed the values that Singapore has held so close to us".

"We will not allow his radical teachings and his extremist ideology to take root in Singapore," he said.

"We will do whatever we can, with security agencies as well as community organisations such as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) to safeguard our community against extremism."

The development marks the latest in a slew of Times closures over the past five years.

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In a statement, Muis condemned the author and his teachings.

"Mr Rasul Dahri has been known to maintain exclusivist, hardline and extreme positions in Islam," read the statement.

"He has made statements both in his videos and his publications that are exclusivist in nature and dangerous in that they promote enmity, strife and potentially violence not only towards Muslims but also other religious communities and the state.

"Muis advises Muslims to avoid such teachings, which are totally unsuited for Singapore's multi-cultural society and may lead to extremism in religious thought and practice."

The council advised that Singaporeans who encounter any individuals teaching and preaching such ideas should report them to Muis at 6359 1199 or the Asatizah Recognition Board, which oversees a scheme to endorse qualified Islamic teachers in Singapore, at 6604 8568.

Members of the public who are in possession of the gazetted materials are advised to hand them to the Police, failing which they will be liable to a fine, imprisonment, or both.