Singapore: Singapore has ordered TikTok and Meta to block access to the social media accounts of an Australian citizen who was previously detained for promoting extremist views. Authorities said the man, Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, had shared posts that could harm racial and religious harmony in the country.

The move was taken under Singapore’s Online Criminal Harms Act, a law introduced last year that allows the government to restrict content considered harmful or dangerous. The police said they received complaints and reports from the public before issuing the directive.

According to officials, Zulfikar had made statements online claiming that Muslims in Singapore were being forced to abandon their faith and adopt a different culture. Authorities described these comments as inflammatory, misleading and capable of causing distrust among communities.

Zulfikar was detained in 2016 under the Internal Security Act for supporting extremist groups and sharing content linked to ISIS. He later renounced his Singapore citizenship and became an Australian national.

Under the orders issued this week, TikTok must block access to his videos for users in Singapore. Meta has been directed to make his Facebook page unavailable to people within the country.

Officials said the decision was necessary to prevent the spread of radical ideas and protect the peace between different religious and ethnic groups. They also stressed that Singapore takes online threats seriously, especially those that could influence vulnerable individuals.

This action marks one of the first major uses of the Online Criminal Harms Act against extremist content. It also signals a broader effort by authorities to hold social media platforms responsible for material shared on their services.

Singapore has warned that similar steps may be taken in the future if online posts threaten public safety or social unity.