SUPPORTERS of an Indonesian preacher, who was denied entry into Singapore on Monday, have spammed the social media accounts of government agencies and political leaders of the republic, reported CNA.

The online portal, quoting a Communications and Information Ministry spokesman, said Indonesian chat groups have called for cyberattacks on the city-state’s social media accounts.

The Instagram accounts of President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan are among those affected, as was Lee’s Twitter account, according to the report.

The Instagram accounts of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and Singapore Tourism Board are also spammed.

“Two event management companies have had their websites defaced. The sites have since been recovered, and SingCert will reach out to the companies to extend assistance,” the spokesman was quoted as saying.

“Organisations are advised to take active steps to strengthen their cybersecurity, heighten vigilance and enhance their online defences to protect their organisation against possible cyberattacks.”

SingCert, or Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team, responds to cybersecurity cases for constituents. It is set up to facilitate the detection, resolution and prevention of cybersecurity-related incidents.

The Home Affairs Ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara arrived at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore from Batam, Indonesia, on Monday, with six companions.

Somad was then interviewed, following which the group was denied entry into the republic and placed on a ferry back to Batam on the same day, said the ministry on its website.

It said, among others, Somad is known to preach “extremist and segregationist teachings”, which are unacceptable in the multiracial and multi-religious society in Singapore.

The ministry said a person’s entry into the republic is “neither automatic nor a right” and “each case is assessed on its own merits”.

“While Somad attempted to enter Singapore for a social visit, the Singapore government takes a serious view of any person who advocates violence and/or espouses extremist and segregationist teachings.” – Bernama, May 19, 2022.