SDP Chief Dr Chee mulls legal challenge against govt's stance amid POFMA spree

SINGAPORE: Dr Chee Soon Juan, the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), has expressed his intention to potentially pursue a legal challenge against the government's position after receiving a correction directive under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

On Thursday (22 February), Minister for National Development Desmond Lee directed the POFMA Office to issue a correction directive (CD) to Dr Chee regarding his social media statements on public housing policies.

While Dr Chee complied with the authorities' order to publish a correction notice on his social media account, he vehemently rejected the government's interpretation.

"I will explore the option of mounting a legal challenge to the government's stance," he asserted.

Dr Chee emphasized the gravity of Singapore's current situation, drawing parallels to the themes discussed in his latest book, It Starts With A Dream.

POFMA order for comments on HDB policies

According to a statement released on the government fact-checking website Factually, Dr Chee was accused of asserting in a video posted on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok on 17 February that the Government had rejected the idea of constructing flats suitable for multi-generational living.

The statement refuted Dr Chee’s claim, highlighting that HDB builds and offers 5-room and 3Gen flats to address the housing needs of larger families and multi-generation families wishing to live together.

“In particular, 3Gen flats, which are generally larger (at about 115 sqm) with 1 extra bedroom compared to the typical 5-room BTO flat, have been introduced since 2013 to allow multi-generation families to live together.”

The statement added that 5-room flats were offered in all Build-To-Order (“BTO”) launches last year, and 3Gen flats were offered in two of the four launches.

On Thursday, the Ministry of National Development (MND) stated that Dr Chee must display correction notices on his Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Additionally, he must create a new TikTok post containing a correction notice, to which Dr Chee already complied.

The Factually reported that Dr Chee referenced an HDB reply to a forum letter published in The Straits Times from a member of the public to support his claim.

Contrary to Dr Chee’s assertion, the Factually clarified that the Government did not reject the suggestion from the forum letter writer for larger flats catering to multi-generational living.

“In planning the supply of new BTO flats, HDB adopts a comprehensive approach, considering factors such as the prevailing economic and housing market conditions, and long-term demographic and socio-economic trends,” the statement wrote.

It added that HDB offers various flat types in different locations to meet demand, including from larger families and multi-generational families.

The agency also adjusts BTO supply and flat types to accommodate the housing needs and budgets of households in Singapore.

POFMA spree: three POFMA orders to alternative party politicians in February

In addition to Dr Chee, Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam has received his sixth correction direction under POFMA for remarks made on 16 February  regarding the rental of black-and-white bungalows at Ridout Road by two ministers.

The correction direction was issued as the Minister contended that Mr Jeyaretnam’s statements accused the SLA of mismanaging State properties, alleging preferential treatment in rental terms for Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Correction directions were also issued to Gutzy Asia—for sharing the hyperlink to Mr Jeyaretnam’s post in an article on its website and indirectly linking it via its Facebook post and X post—and to The Online Citizen (TOC) for its Facebook post.

Mr Jeyaretnam’s website, The Ricebowl Singapore, and his Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn pages were designated as Declared Online Locations (DOLs) in December 2023.

DOLs are online locations, like websites or webpages, carrying three or more distinct online falsehoods subject to active POFMA directions.

To be marked as a DOL, at least three false statements must have been communicated to the online location within the six months preceding its designation.

This designation, effective until 11 December 2025, prohibits him from receiving any benefits, including financial ones, from operating his website and social media pages.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and POFMA Office are set to evaluate comments made by Mr Jeyaretnam to determine whether any further action should be taken.

PSP's NCMP Leong Mun Wai faces POFMA order over alleged falsehoods on financial aid

On 15 February, Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai also faced the POFMA order by the Ministry for Social and Family Development (MSF) for a Facebook post concerning an elderly disabled couple.

Mr Leong stated that the couple informed him they only received a Home Caregiving Grant (HCG). MSF countered, stating the couple had actually “received approximately S$39,000 in cash and vouchers from various public sector agencies and community partners.”

MSF clarified that the elderly couple approached by Mr Leong had received a broad range of support, including $21,000 in ComCare assistance from May 2021 to April 2023.

The minister mentioned they were currently receiving “financial assistance from various public sector agencies and community partners,” including the Home Caregiving Grant, South West Community Development Council Utilities Vouchers, NTUC supermarket vouchers from the People’s Association, and cash of S$300 per month from a temple, totalling around S$830 per month in cash and vouchers.

Offences under the POFMA Act

An offence under section 7 of the POFMA entails severe penalties, including a fine of up to d$50,000, a potential imprisonment term of up to 5 years, or a combination of both.

In the case of non-individuals, such as online media platforms operated by tech companies, a substantial fine of up to $500,000 will be levied.

Furthermore, in instances where fake online accounts or bots are utilized to propagate falsehoods, individual offenders may face a fine of up to S$100,000 and/or a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years. For non-individuals found guilty of such actions, a substantial fine of up to S$1 million will be imposed.