Singapore has refused entry to Malaysian activist and recent doctoral graduate Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, citing her involvement in domestic politics and promotion of unlawful protest methods.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) described Fadiah as an “undesirable visitor” in a statement released on Friday, 27th March. The ministry said she encouraged some youths in Singapore to adopt “her brand of radical advocacy,” urging them “to go beyond protests, to mobilise students and different communities in Singapore, and to undertake disruptive and violent actions to support specific causes.”
“We will not tolerate foreigners getting involved in our domestic politics, nor the promotion of unlawful, violent and disruptive methods of civil protest,” MHA added.
Fadiah, who received her PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in January, claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that she was deported to Malaysia and banned from entering Singapore. She described her scholarly work as examining the intellectual history of decolonisation and anti-imperialism.
She said she requested the grounds for her deportation and entry ban from Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) but was told they “could not disclose them.” A notice of refusal of entry, posted online by Fadiah, stated she was “ineligible for the issue of a pass under current immigration policies.”
Fadiah had gone to Singapore on 22nd March at the invitation of her former supervisor to deliver a guest lecture on her PhD thesis. She had also planned to visit friends, her former supervisor’s family, and collect her degree certificate.
“It’s stunning because I stayed there for five years and was conferred a doctoral degree on 31st January,” she said. She called being denied entry “tantamount to a deliberate attack on my scholarly work” and described the experience as “extremely distressing and outrageous.”
Fadiah, a human rights lawyer and anti-corruption activist in Malaysia, has been involved with Lawyers for Liberty and the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4). She left a legal career in 2020 to pursue her doctoral studies.
In March 2020, Malay Mail reported that she was investigated for alleged sedition and improper use of network facilities related to a demonstration against the appointment of Muhyiddin Yassin as Malaysia’s prime minister. At the time, she was also under investigation for allegedly insulting the monarchy after the May 2018 elections. The outcomes of these investigations have not been reported.
She is also a vocal advocate for Palestinians on social media.
Singapore enforces strict regulations on protests, requiring a police permit for public gatherings promoting any cause. The government argues these rules maintain peace and harmony, though critics say they stifle freedom of expression and civil activism.
In 2024, authorities charged three women with organising an illegal procession after a pro-Palestinian march. They were later acquitted. The case highlights Singapore’s sensitivity to foreign involvement in domestic affairs, with authorities maintaining tight controls on public assemblies.
The Ministry of Home Affairs reiterated its zero-tolerance policy, stating: “Fadiah is an undesirable visitor, and we have thus denied her entry into our country.”
Fadiah’s PhD research focused on decolonisation, aligning with her broader interests in intellectual history and activism. The incident raises questions about the boundaries between academic exchange, personal activism, and national sovereignty. Singapore’s immigration policies grant authorities broad discretion in entry decisions when national security or public order are considered.
No further details on Fadiah’s alleged encouragement of youths were provided, and she has not publicly responded to MHA’s characterisation of her actions as of Friday.
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