GEIS-新闻详情

Radicalisation, scams among threats maids face online: Webinar

2021-12-13 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - Ms Jane Gabinete, like other domestic helpers here, has not gone home to the Philippines since Covid-19 struck.

Her last visit back - she used to go home annually - was in July 2019.

"I miss my family and my home town," said the 46-year-old, who is single and the eldest of 11 siblings, the youngest of whom is 24. The family live in the central Philippine island province of Guimaras.

At a webinar on Sunday (Dec 12), 110 maids, including Ms Gabinete, heard how one risk faced by maids who are unable to return home is that they may seek out online communities, which puts them at a higher risk of radicalisation.

Dr Jolene Jerard, executive director at public safety and management consultancy firm Centinal and one of the guest presenters, said: "This is a risk for all of us as we're spending more time online on many new platforms. The digital space is evolving and the lines between real-world and online communities are getting increasingly blurred."

The webinar, held by the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) and Bedok South neighbourhood police centre, is part of efforts to raise awareness among maids of the danger of radicalisation and scams.

Ustaz Mohamed Feisal, secretary of RRG, a voluntary group of Islamic teachers who do counselling, rehabilitation and outreach to correct misinterpretations of Islamic concepts, said helpers are exposed to fake news and misinformation online.

"The RRG is concerned that they will turn to dubious religious advice online rather than consult accredited religious teachers," he said.

He said maids can join activities organised by local churches, temples and mosques.

They should quickly report individuals who they suspect are at risk of radicalisation, to allow for early intervention, he added.

Dr Jerard, who researches terrorist and extremist groups in Asia, said the RRG hotline is one avenue for maids to raise concerns about the threat of radicalisation.

"Many of them are afraid that they'll get in trouble if they bring things up. So we want to help them feel comfortable enough to reach out if, for example, they come across propaganda online or their friends talk about something that they find worrying," she said.

They can then receive assistance on what to do and help their friends if needed, said Dr Jerard.

The latest Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report in 2021 showed that since 2015, 21 foreign domestic workers in Singapore were found to have been radicalised. Three of them were Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) supporters who were convicted of terrorism financing offences in 2020, while the others were repatriated.

Another concern tackled at the webinar was the prevalence of scams.

Ms Gabinete, who has been working in Singapore for 16 years, said she is no stranger to the ways of scammers.

She frequently encounters phone calls from scammers who impersonate staff from banks and government agencies such as the Ministry of Health (MOH).

"I know they're scammers because banks and MOH don't call me. I always block and report the numbers," she said.