On Saturday (29 June), Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam issued a Correction Direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), targeting the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) for disseminating false information regarding the prosecution of three women and a Targeted Correction Direction to TikTok Pte Ltd.
According to the Minister, the SDP’s social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok claimed two falsehoods: firstly, that the women were charged for organizing support for Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict, and secondly, that Minister Shanmugam personally prosecuted them due to the Government’s disagreement with their views.
In response, the Minister clarified that the charges against Ms Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, Ms Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, and Ms Mossammad Sobikun Nahar were solely under the Public Order Act 2009 for organizing a procession near the Istana, a prohibited area under Singapore law.
The Minister emphasized that the prosecution was not related to the expression of views, which is protected under Singapore’s laws.
“The decision to charge the women was made independently by the Attorney-General’s Chambers based on police findings, not by Minister Shanmugam,” stated the Ministry in the Factually website.
The clarification from the Ministry reiterated the importance of upholding public order and emphasized that organizing activities in prohibited areas, regardless of the cause advocated, constitutes an offense under Singapore’s legal framework.
The SDP’s response criticized the prosecution as an infringement on constitutional rights, accusing the government of intolerance and hypocrisy.
They argued that the government’s actions contradict Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s promises of inclusivity and fostering democratic discourse.
“The petitioners walked in an orderly and peaceful manner to deliver a letter. How much more respectful could they have been? Even then, the Government saw it fit to crush the spirit of these young and conscientious Singaporeans,” stated the SDP post.
Under the Correction Direction, SDP is mandated to publish correction notices alongside their original social media posts, while TikTok Pte Ltd is required to notify Singapore users who accessed the relevant TikTok post.