Singaporean TikToker ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’ says he is being investigated for alleged criminal defamation

TikTok influencer ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’ has shared that he is currently under investigation by the Singapore police for alleged criminal defamation. This alleged inquiry arises 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.

In the video under scrutiny, ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’ inquired whether the newly elected president would seek the removal of Attorney-General Mr Lucien Wong, who was PM Lee’s former lawyer and assisted in the Oxley property affairs.

According to ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’, the content of the video was said to be deemed inflammatory, prompting an official investigation by the police.

“I was asked to provide a statement about the video, which was simply a question posed to the Prime Minister,” explained ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’. “However, it is now considered problematic, necessitating an explanation.”

Compounding his difficulties, ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’ has been requested to surrender his passport this week, a move that both confuses and disappoints him.

“I am not a flight risk,” he affirmed, highlighting his deep family connections and devotion to Singapore. “There’s no intention for me to flee. My entire life, including my family, is here in Singapore.”

Originally, ‘dr.ishhaq.jay’ had taken down the contentious video as a gesture of goodwill. Yet, in an unexpected twist, he reuploaded it on Sunday.

He clarified, “By reposting it, I’m not showing defiance. My aim is merely to make people aware of the ongoing situation.”

The Tiktoker has previously been issued with three previous correction directions under the Protection from Online Falsehood Act (POFMA) in the past three months.

Under Section 499 of the Singapore Penal Code, criminal defamation is defined as the act of defaming another person with intent, or with knowledge that the statement made could harm that person. This crime carries a potential punishment of a fine and up to two years in jail.

In a related case, Terry Xu, editor of The Online Citizen Asia, and contributor Daniel de Costa, were fined S$8,000 and S$10,000, respectively, for criminal defamation over a letter published in September 2018, following a successful appeal against a 3-week imprisonment sentence.

Unlike in civil defamation cases, the alleged victim in a criminal defamation case is not required to testify in court about the falsity or defamatory nature of the statement or claim.