Singapore bars American-Muslim preacher entering from Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: American-Muslim preacher Yusuf Estes was barred from entering Singapore last month in connection with a controversial Islamic-themed cruise.

Estes and his wife were deported from Changi Airport back to Kuala Lumpur on Nov 24.

He had gone to Singapore to join over 1,000 passengers on a spiritual cruise organised by Malaysia-based Islamic Cruise, which left Singapore Cruise Centre for Aceh in Indonesia last Saturday and returned on Wednesday.

Singapore’s ministry of home affairs (MHA) had previously banned two candidates for the same cruise, Zimbabwean Ismail Menk and Malaysian Haslin Baharim, from setting foot in the city state over their “segregationist and divisive teachings”.

According to a report in TODAY Online, the 73-year-old American preacher, who converted from Christianity to Islam in 1991, was denied entry into Singapore on on similar grounds, with MHA citing his “divisive views” and “exclusivist practices”.

The report said Estes, for instance, said in a video in March 2012 that it was “not part of Islam to celebrate other people’s holidays” and that it was not in the Muslim faith to wish Christians and Jews a “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Hanukkah” respectively.

Estes had also published an article on his website in Dec 2016 which questioned the religious basis for Christmas.

MHA said the government would not allow religious preachers of any faith to denigrate other religions.

The ministry said it had previously rejected the applications by two Christian preachers to speak in Singapore, as they had made inflammatory comments about other religions, including Islam and Buddhism.

“Such divisive views breed intolerance and exclusivist practices that will damage social harmony and cause communities to drift apart. They are unacceptable in the context of Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society,” TODAY Online quoted the ministry as saying.

The religious cruise left Singapore last Saturday for Banda Aceh and returned on Wednesday.

Following Singapore banning Menk and Haslim on Oct 31, Johor ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, also decreed the next day that the two Islamic preachers were not welcome in the state.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also home minister, was reported to have said there were no problems with the talks given by Haslin and Menk previously. -FMT

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