Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Vice-Chairman of the Workers' Party (WP) since 2016 and as an advisor for Sengkang GRC since 2021. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied GRC since 2011. He was fielded by the WP as an election candidate for Tampines GRC for the 2025 General Election.
Supporter of anti-LGBT Wear White movement[]
Workers' Party member of parliament (MP) Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap supports the Wear White campaign[1] that opposes homosexuality and Pink Dot SG. Faisal, an MP in the Aljunied GRC, said on 2 July 2014 that he backed the movement in his personal capacity "as a Muslim individual". Speaking to The Straits Times at his meet-the-people session in Bedok North, he said: "It has nothing to do with the party stand."[2],[3]
His comments came in the wake of three photographs that week showing him wearing a white songkok (traditional headgear) and white jubah (ankle-length robe) alongside the Wear White campaign organisers and supporters at a mosque on the night of Saturday, 29 June 2014, the date of the Pink Dot gathering at Hong Lim Park. The photos, posted online, prompted talk about whether his stand represented the Workers' Party's position on homosexuality.
Endorsement by Wear White founder Noor Deros during 2025 General Election campaign[]
Islamic religious teacher Noor Deros.
Soon after Nomination Day on 23 April 2025, which marked the start of the fervent election campaign period, Malaysia-based Noor Deros, founder of the Wear White movement, made several social media posts mixing religion with politics which were widely circulated online. He stated that he had spoken with Workers' Party candidates contesting the upcoming 2025 General Election and urged the opposition party to prioritise the rights and concerns of the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore[4],[5]. Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian reported on 26 April 2025 that in a series of Facebook posts, Noor claimed that he had spoken to all the Malay candidates from the WP, in particular Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap who was running in Tampines GRC and urged his followers to vote for him. He also claimed that the Workers' Party had agreed to take up the concerns raised by the asatizah, or religious teachers, regarding the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. He said the WP had heeded seriously his call for the party to raise in Parliament issues surrounding the control and regulation of Islam’s practice in Singapore, citing the Administration of Muslim Law Act and institutions such as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. Noor also claimed that he had urged WP and other election candidates to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ issues, take a strong stance against Israel, and recognise the state of Palestine.
Noor claimed in one post that the WP was the only party that had responded to his demands, but added that they had not made a "concrete promise". He also issued four additional demands to the WP in this post. They were:
- To raise in parliament the issue of how the administration and practice of Islam in Singapore is restricted and guarded through the Administration of Muslim Law Act and related institutions such as MUIS.
- Not to advocate or defend anything related to the normalisation of LGBTQ+.
- To "bring a new narrative" to efforts against radicalisation by "acknowledging the US and Israel as the real masterminds of terrorism", and that the War on Terror campaign by the US is a false campaign to destabilise the Middle East for Israel's prosperity.
- To cut ties with Israel and recognise Palestine as a state.
A screenshot of a Facebook post made by Noor Deros, in which he listed four further demands for the Workers' Party.
When asked in a Facebook comment who in the WP he had spoken to, Noor replied: "All of the Malay candidates."
In yet another post, Noor criticised Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, accusing him of failing to defend the rights and aspirations of the Malay-Muslim community, and called on Tampines residents to "do the right thing". He compared Masagos with WP vice chairman Faisal Manap, pointing to Faisal’s efforts in raising the tudung (headscarf) issue in Parliament – referring to how in 2021, the Government had lifted former restrictions on the headgear for Muslim staff in healthcare settings. Noor called on his followers, particularly those in Tampines GRC, to vote for Faisal, who was contesting the constituency, in the 3 May 2025 General Election.
Subsequently, on 24 April 2025, he warned that if the WP "does not respond to the widespread demands of the Muslim community to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ and address other major concerns, then I urge that we vote for the candidate, not the party".
A screenshot of a 24 April 2025 Facebook post made by Noor Deros, in which he said that if the WP does not reject "the normalisation of LGBTQ+ and address other major concerns", he would then urge his followers to "vote for the candidate, not the party".
At around midnight on 26 April 2025, Noor made another Facebook post where he clarified that the WP had "accepted" his requests, but that it was not the same as "agreeing" to his requests. "'Taking seriously' does not necessarily mean 'agree and promise to deliver'," he added, in reference to his earlier post that the WP was the only party that had taken his demands seriously.
Clarification by Workers' Party[]
A screengrab of the Worker's Party's Instagram post showing its statement on 26 April 2025.
In a statement issued on 26 April 2025, the WP said that it met with various members of Singapore's religious communities, regardless of race or religion. "At a meeting with other religious leaders where Mr Noor was present, the Party confirms there were no promises, commitments or agreements made to any individual, including Mr Noor, in exchange for political support for WP candidates." It also highlighted speeches made in parliament by party chief Pritam Singh and vice chairman Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap about separating religion and politics. "We remain firmly committed to Singapore’s secular, multi-racial, multi-religious society, and to protecting the integrity of our electoral process." Noor had turned up at a meeting the party held with Malay-Muslim religious leaders but there was no prior indication that he would be at the event.
Clarification by Faisal Manap[]
On Monday, 28 April 2025, Faisal Manap was asked by the press about Noor Deros. Faisal replied that he was open to meeting “everyone for the sake of listening”. He had always pressed for open conversations and not shied away from bringing up “sensitive” topics in parliament. "That is the right way to move forward. We must believe in the value and beauty of diversity,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean that when we listen to people, we agree with them.” This was the first time that Faisal had addressed the posts made by Noor.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had said on Saturday, 26 April 2025 that foreigners urging Singaporeans to vote along religious lines had "crossed the line" and that Singaporeans alone should decide on Singapore politics. Several opposition parties, including the WP, followed suit in speaking out against foreign interference in the upcoming General Election. When asked about voters who may vote for him because of Noor, Faisal said “all voters are smart enough to consider...to weigh the different arguments. I leave it to the intelligence of the voters, and I respect the voters' decision to vote whoever they want to vote.”
See also[]
- Archive of The Straits Times article, "WP's Faisal supports Wear White", 3 July 2014
- Wear White
- Workers' Party politicians' views on homosexuality
- Singapore politicians' views on homosexuality
References[]
Acknowledgements[]
This article was written by Roy Tan.