PAS treasurer-general Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad has denied allegations that he attempted to interfere in Singapore’s upcoming 2025 General Election, expressing surprise over the claims and asserting that his social media posts were not targeted at voters across the border.
In a statement on Saturday, Iskandar said his Facebook posts were intended merely to highlight the participation of several Muslim candidates from Singapore's opposition parties, as well as a young Muslim candidate from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
“I was only reporting on a few notable Muslim candidates contesting from opposition parties. I also uploaded a video of a young Muslim PAP candidate introducing himself to voters,” he said.
His remarks come in response to a statement by Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which directed Meta to restrict access to several online election advertisements (OEAs) allegedly posted by foreign individuals, including two PAS leaders.
Singaporean media reports had named Iskandar and Selangor PAS Youth Chief Mohamed Sukri Omar as being identified in connection with the alleged interference.
Iskandar clarified that his Facebook content was predominantly intended for a Malaysian Muslim audience.
“Although some of my posts were written in English, they were aimed at Malaysians, not voters across the Causeway,” he said.
“I never called on anyone to vote along racial or religious lines. I did express hope that some of these Muslim candidates would win, but I do not know them personally and have never met them,” he added.
The former PAS vice-president stressed that he had never incited Singaporeans to vote based on race or religion, but was simply sharing his thoughts.
“As a politician, I think it is natural to follow and comment on political developments abroad,” he said.
He noted that he had previously commented extensively on UK politics and even hoped for a Labour Party win, but that had not drawn accusations of election interference.
“I’ve written about other countries without issue. That’s why this feels extraordinary,” he said.
Iskandar also said he was puzzled by the decision to restrict his Facebook content in Singapore.
“I don’t think my Facebook page is particularly influential, even in Malaysia. So I was really surprised when it was blocked and became inaccessible in Singapore,” he said.
He raised concerns that the move might be politically motivated.
“I still wonder what the real purpose behind the restriction is. I hope it’s not an attempt to link my party to Singapore’s opposition—that would be a very serious accusation,” he said.
He emphasised that he respects Singapore’s democratic system and has no intention of interfering in its political affairs.
“I urge everyone not to jump to conclusions without understanding the full context. Accusations like this only create confusion and distract from healthy political discourse,” he said. - April 26, 2025
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