At a recent meeting with selected Malaysian media, Masagos said many Singaporeans have connections to global events due to their diverse backgrounds and familial ties to other countries.

He said these ties could influence reactions to international conflicts, including the situation in Gaza.

In the week after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7 last year, the mufti of Singapore “immediately wrote to the rabbi in Singapore to tell him that we must maintain the racial religious harmony of Singapore together, no matter what’s happening out there”, he said.

Masagos said this message of “behaving and protecting one another” was communicated to the rest of the Muslim community, which constitutes about 15.6% of Singapore’s population, to ensure tensions abroad did not fracture unity at home.

Singapore has diplomatic relations with Israel, and also maintains friendly ties with the Palestinian Authority.

When asked about the impact of the Israel-Gaza conflict on Muslim Singaporeans, he said the community has been collectively praying for peace and stability in Gaza during every Friday prayer while also launching numerous fundraising initiatives.

“Instead of us succumbing, or following the urgings of whatever people want to do out there, we should do it our way,” Masagos said.

“Do something that’s impactful. Do something meaningful but in the name of peace. Do something that Singapore can do as a small country.”

Local media in Singapore has reported on forums being held to discuss “feelings of helplessness” among Muslims in the republic regarding the situation in Gaza, with discussions on whether to boycott products linked to Israel.

Boycott campaigns targeting Western brands such as Starbucks and McDonald’s have been prominent in Malaysia, which has taken a strong stance in support of Palestine.