Data on Suspected Foreign Interference Reports Received by ISD in Past Five Years and Measures to Increase Awareness and Vigilance

Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) in each of the past five years, how many reports of suspected foreign interference did the Internal Security Department receive; and (b) how can the Ministry further increase Singaporeans' awareness of and vigilance against foreign interference.

For national security reasons, the Government does not disclose details or statistics of suspected or actual foreign interference and influence campaigns against Singapore.

To alert Singaporeans to the threat, the Government has been running information literacy and public education campaigns. For example, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched a campaign earlier this year on the use of deepfake videos and AI-generated and other inauthentic online posts, in online influence operations targeting overseas jurisdictions. The campaign leveraged our General Election in May 2025 as a salient event to help Singaporeans appreciate what is at stake. Next year, we will put greater focus on foreign interference and influence in an everyday context.

The Ministry of Defence drives National Education and Total Defence to build a shared understanding of Singapore's foundational values and principles, deepen our public's sense of identity and nationhood, and strengthen awareness of and collective resolve against threats that may undermine societal cohesion and resilience, including foreign interference. The SG101 website is a one-stop Government site which consolidates educational resources on foreign interference, as well as Singapore's positions on sensitive issues, to help the public better understand our national positions and stay resilient against attempts to divide us.

The Government has also been implementing programmes to equip our citizens to be discerning consumers of information. These include the National Library Board's S.U.R.E. programme, which stands for Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate. The programme imparts critical thinking skills to help Singaporeans discern the reliability of information they come across on the internet.

We also regularly conduct briefings, dialogues and workshops to raise awareness of foreign interference. Audiences include public servants, national servicemen and students.

MHA will continue to work with other agencies to engage the public about the threat posed by foreign interference and influence. A discerning and educated public is, indeed, our best defence.