Singapore has banned Islamic preacher and scholar Mufti Ismail Menk from entering the city-state, saying that his views promote religious discord, reported Al Jazeera on Tuesday.

Menk, who hails from Zimbabwe and has more than two million followers on Twitter, as well as Haslin bin Baharim, a Malaysian scholar, were barred from entering Singapore by the government ahead of their lectures on a "halal cruise" scheduled for late November, said the article.

According to Al Jazeera, Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that its decision to reject Menk's application for a short-term work pass stemmed from his "segregationist and divisive teachings", also alleging that Baharim promoted "disharmony between Muslims and non-Muslims".

"[Their views] are unacceptable in the context of Singapore's multi-racial and multi-religious society," the ministry was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. "They will not be allowed to get around the ban by preaching instead on cruise ships which operate to and from Singapore."

Menk, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, said that the implication that he was using the cruise “to get around the ban" was "erroneous".

"The organisers were planning the first fully halal cruise and wanted me to be a part of it [...] I have never been on a cruise before, let alone give lectures on board. I will not be joining the cruise now for reasons not within my control," read the statement by Menk.

Malaysia's Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, said on Tuesday that the country will not stop the two Islamic preachers from speaking in public, The Straits Times reported.

"So far, these two religious speakers have not suggested anything that goes against our understanding of cultural and religious diversity to the point of causing social, racial and religious tensions in Malaysia," Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency. "Thus far, Malaysia is satisfied with what they are doing and does not intend to take similar action [as Singapore's] as they are not wrong in our eyes."

Menk, a noted scholar and international speaker, is the director of the Daarul Ilm (Islamic Educational Centre) of the Majlisul Ulama, an Islamic welfare organisation which caters to the needs of the Muslim population of Zimbabwe.