Singapore authorities await Kenneth Jeyaretnam's return amid investigations; Reform Party chief responds

Local media in Singapore have reported that the authorities are awaiting Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s assessment of how long he will remain away from Singapore to consider the next steps in their ongoing investigations against the Reform Party chief.

The Singapore Police Force and the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office released a joint statement on 10 July, addressing the situation.

Mr Jeyaretnam is currently under investigation by the POFMA Office for potential offences under the fake news law and by the police under the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act 2016, which covers contempt of court. The investigations follow the issuance of his eighth POFMA correction notice related to false statements concerning government land sale prices and the transparency of its endowment and trust funds.

Currently, in the United Kingdom, Mr Jeyaretnam reported via a Facebook post on 6 July that he suffers from a health condition that prevents him from flying long haul back to Singapore. He disclosed his ailments, including deep vein thrombosis, bilateral pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia, and mentioned that he had assisted the investigations to the best of his physical abilities through email communication.

The authorities noted that they were unaware of the specifics of Mr Jeyaretnam's medical condition before his social media disclosure. They also mentioned that despite their efforts to communicate with him since April, Mr Jeyaretnam has not returned to Singapore nor attended any interviews.

In their 10 July statement, the authorities emphasized the requirement for Mr Jeyaretnam to make himself available in Singapore for the investigations, reiterating the standard protocol for individuals under investigation.

In response to the media coverage, Mr Jeyaretnam posted on Facebook on 11 July, criticizing the public disclosure of details related to the ongoing probe.

He argued that such information is typically kept confidential to ensure fairness in case charges are eventually filed. Quoting Minister Indranee Rajah's 2018 parliamentary statement, he highlighted that it is standard practice in Singapore and other jurisdictions not to identify individuals under investigation to avoid prejudicing any potential fair trial.

Mr Jeyaretnam expressed his willingness to cooperate by suggesting alternative arrangements for the investigation, including interviews via Zoom, at the Singapore High Commission in London, at a local police station, or through an intermediary like Interpol.

He lamented that the agencies had not responded to his previous communications from 2 May and 26 June, nor sought details about his medical condition.

He also criticized Channel News Asia’s reporting, claiming it contained falsehoods about his interactions with the agencies and accused the publication of failing to contact him for a balanced perspective. He accused the authorities of using state media to tarnish his reputation and potentially silence him ahead of the elections, suggesting that their actions may be intended to prevent him from running.

Mr Jeyaretnam concluded his statement by questioning the adherence of the agencies to the proper procedures, as outlined by Indranee Rajah and the Criminal Procedure Code, and called for an investigation into their conduct.

It is noteworthy that the joint statement was not published on the POFMA Office's official press site, as has been the case with previous issues involving Singaporean activist Jolovan Wham, nor was it published by the SPF on its media centre. From this, it appears to be just a statement to the press to gain the effect of using the media to highlight the investigation on Mr Jeyaretnam.