Conditional warning issued to Tiktoker for non-compliance with POFMA directions

A 58-year-old man, Ishhaq Jay Rajoo, has been issued a conditional warning for allegedly communicating false statements of fact and failing to comply with directions issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

Ishhaq is known for his regular commentary on social affairs through his TikTok account.

According to the POFMA Office, between July and August 2023, Ishhaq published four videos on TikTok that contained falsehoods related to voting secrecy, CPF policies, and HDB affordability.

The POFMA Office stated that the falsehoods regarding voting secrecy were based on hearsay without supporting evidence.

Additionally, it noted that Ishhaq did not consult publicly available information on the CPF Board and Ministry of Manpower websites before posting inaccuracies about CPF policies and HDB affordability.

Under POFMA, falsehoods are typically addressed through Correction Directions, which require recipients to place a notice next to the original post with a link to the Government’s clarification. This, according to the authorities, allows the public to compare the original post with the factual correction.

Ishhaq was issued Correction Directions but did not fully comply, according to the POFMA Office. It was said that he failed to put up the required Correction Notices by the stipulated deadline and changed his TikTok account handle, making the Correction Notices inaccessible to viewers.

After a review of the facts and circumstances, authorities issued a 24-month conditional warning to Ishhaq for offences under Sections 7 and 15 of POFMA.

If he reoffends during this period, he could face prosecution for the original crime. An offence under section 7 of POFMA carries a fine of up to $50,000, an imprisonment term of up to five years, or both. An offence under section 15 carries a fine of up to $20,000, an imprisonment term of up to one year, or both.

Speaking to Gutzy on the conditional warning, Jay said, “”A minister decides what should be pofma-ed about my questioning the policies of the government? The Singapore mainstream media plasters my name on their report and says I have been pofma-ed for spreading fake information without a trial or even an interview. So, I am ruled guilty even before hearing my reasoning. Is this democracy?”

The tiktoker was previously subjected to investigation by the Singapore police for alleged criminal defamation. This investigation was sparked from a video he produced about the presidential election, where he asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong a controversial question over the appointment of the Attorney-General.