Vivian Balakrishnan & Calvin Cheng: Gaza Post Incident Explained

An unauthorized Facebook ‘like’ on a controversial Gaza relocation post has triggered a security probe by Meta and political fallout in Singapore. This article breaks down what is known, what is unclear, and what happens next.

Date of incident: April 2, 2025 ·
Post creator: Calvin Cheng, former Nominated MP ·
Platform involved: Facebook (Meta) ·
Official response: Vivian Balakrishnan denied liking the post ·
Investigation status: Meta investigating hacked account

The incident centers on a single unauthorized ‘like’ that triggered a chain of denials, a security probe, and political fallout.

Who are Vivian Balakrishnan and Calvin Cheng?

Vivian Balakrishnan’s role as Foreign Minister

• Vivian Balakrishnan has been Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2015 (The Straits Times).
• He previously served as Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and is a trained ophthalmologist.
• Balakrishnan is also a Member of Parliament for the Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (CNA).

Calvin Cheng’s background as former Nominated MP

• Calvin Cheng served as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) from 2009 to 2011 (CNA).
• He is a University of Cambridge graduate and has been a vocal commentator on social and political issues.
• Cheng has courted controversy before; his Facebook posts often spark debate (The Straits Times).

The implication: both figures are now linked by a digital incident that neither fully controls, and the public’s trust in institutional accounts is at stake.

What happened with the controversial Gaza post?

Details of Calvin Cheng’s Facebook post

• On 13 March 2025, Calvin Cheng posted a Facebook message proposing to send members of “Monday of Palestine Solidarity” to Gaza if they never returned to Singapore (The Straits Times).
• Local coverage described the post as proposing the relocation of pro-Palestinian activists to Gaza and barring them from returning (CNA).
• As of 2 April 2025, the post had 1,100 reactions and 770 comments (The Straits Times).

How Vivian Balakrishnan’s account ‘liked’ the post

• A screen recording circulated on Instagram reportedly showed Balakrishnan’s official Facebook page had ‘liked’ Cheng’s post (The Straits Times).
• Balakrishnan’s press secretary confirmed that the minister did not authorize the like and that a report had been filed with Meta over unauthorised activity (South China Morning Post).
• It remains unclear how the ‘like’ occurred — whether through a hack, a compromised session, or a third-party app.

The pattern: a provocative post met with a digital reaction that the account owner denies, forcing a platform intervention.

What was the official response from Vivian Balakrishnan?

Balakrishnan’s Facebook statement

• Just past midnight on 2 April 2025, Balakrishnan posted on Facebook saying he did not ‘like’ the post and did not share the views expressed in it (CNA).
• He stated that he had taken steps to “enhance account security” and reported the incident to Meta (South China Morning Post).

Steps taken to secure the account

• Balakrishnan’s press secretary filed a report with Meta over unauthorised activity on the minister’s Facebook page (The Straits Times).
• The minister also likely changed passwords, enabled two-factor authentication, and reviewed active sessions — standard security steps after a breach.

The trade-off: a swift denial can contain short-term damage, but without third-party verification, the story can resurface at any moment — especially during an election campaign.

What is Meta’s involvement in the investigation?

Meta’s security probe

• Meta (Facebook’s parent company) confirmed it was investigating the reported unauthorised activity on Balakrishnan’s account (South China Morning Post).
• The investigation focuses on determining how the ‘like’ was registered and whether the account was genuinely compromised.
• Meta has not yet released a public update on its findings.

Potential outcomes of the investigation

• If Meta confirms a hack, it would validate Balakrishnan’s account and push the focus to account security for public figures.
• If the ‘like’ is found to be legitimate, it would raise serious credibility questions for the foreign minister.
• Calvin Cheng has also said he will take legal action over defamatory statements made against him in connection with the incident (The Straits Times).

The implication: the outcome will set a precedent for how quickly and transparently platforms handle account security breaches involving high-profile officials in Singapore.

For Singapore’s foreign minister, the incident exposes a vulnerability: even a single unauthorized ‘like’ can trigger a credibility crisis and a platform investigation. The outcome of Meta’s probe will determine whether the explanation holds, or whether more questions emerge. For Singapore’s voters, the incident demands transparency from both the platform and the politician.