What is a Restraining Order under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA)?

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The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) currently provides powers for the Government to issue Restraining Orders (ROs) against persons who cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between religious groups. These also include religious leaders or members who promote a political cause, carry out subversive activities or excite disaffection against the President or Government under the guise of religion; or any person inciting any religious organisation or religious leader or member to do any of the above. With the rise of the Internet and social media, swift action is needed to prevent inflammatory statements from spreading. Hence, MHA has amended the MRHA to remove the 14-day notice before an RO is issued. In addition, if foreign actors are assessed to be adversely affecting religious harmony in Singapore through a religious group, a RO can be issued against that religious group to: (i) Prohibit it from receiving donations from specific or all foreign donors; (ii) Require the entire governing body to be SCs; and/or (iii) Require it to suspend or remove specific foreigners from office. The religious group or person can make representations to the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony (PCRH), and the PCRH will make a recommendation to the President to confirm, vary, or cancel the RO issued by the Minister for Home Affairs. For more information, please visit the following: • https://www.mha.gov.sg/what-we-do/managing-security-threats/maintaining-racial-and-religious-harmony/ • https://www.mha.gov.sg/media-room/newsroom/second-reading-speech-for-the-maintenance-of-religious-harmony-amendment-bill---speech-by-sun-xueling-senior-parliamentary-secretary-ministry-of-home-affairs-and-ministry-of-national-development/.

What is a Restraining Order under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA)?

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