Singapore’s newly appointed acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs began his first hours in the role by condemning a controversial social-media commentator for attacking former president Halimah Yacob’s support for Palestinians in Gaza – taking a markedly firmer stance than his predecessor.
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“Many in our Muslim community, as well as Singaporeans from all walks of life, continue to feel deeply about the tragedy unfolding in Palestine. That includes our former president, Mdm Halimah Yacob, whose views are widely respected across our communities,” wrote Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim in a social media post on Friday night, just hours after being sworn into office.
“In times like these, we need more understanding, not division,” he urged. “We must never allow dismissive or divisive rhetoric – local or foreign – to erode the mutual respect and unity we have worked so hard to build in our multicultural society.”
Halimah was a “deeply respected national figure”, he said, adding that he shared her sentiments.
This was in response to a post by the Critical Spectator, Polish national Michael Petraeus, known for his pro-establishment and often inflammatory commentary on political and social issues.
On Friday, Petraeus reposted a screenshot of an article about Halimah’s remarks on the war in Gaza – where she urged for more to speak up about the violations of international humanitarian laws – and sought to point out what he saw as a double standard.