Indonesian cleric denied entry into S’pore

THE Republic said border officials in the city-state had denied entry to an Indonesian cleric, citing what it said were Abdul Somad Batubara’s “extremist and segregationist teachings”.

The cleric, who had travelled by ferry from the Indonesian port of Batam to Singapore on Monday has a large online following in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country.

“Somad has been known to preach extremist and segregationist teachings, which are unacceptable in Singapore’s multi-racial and multireligious society,” Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

Somad, along with six companions, was denied entry after being interviewed by border officials at a ferry terminal in Singapore on Tuesday.

The MHA said in a statement that Somad has preached legitimatising suicide bombing, made comments denigrating members of other fatihs, and publicly referred to non-muslims as kafir or infidels.

Somad did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Indonesia’s foreign ministry declined to comment on the incident.

In a video uploaded to his Youtube channel, he said immigration officials had not given him an explanation for preventing him entering Singapore. “They need to explain to our community, why did your country, your government reject us, why did your government deport us. Why? Because of terrorism, ISIS, narcotics?” he said in the clip.

On Somad’s Instagram page, which has 6.5 million followers, the cleric posted a photograph of himself before leaving Singapore in a room with a caged top that he likened to a “prison”.

The Indonesia Ulema Council, the country’s highest Muslim clerical council, criticised the move to block Somad and disputed Singapore’s claim he was extremist, according to a report by CNN Indonesia.