Singapore's fake news law trips up opposition as election looms
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[July 06, 2020]
By John Geddie
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Enforcing a fake news
law in the run up to a national election, authorities in Singapore have
ordered that online references to some comments made by opposition
figures on key issues must carry a warning that the content contains
false information.
Rights groups have long-warned that the law, which came into effect last
year and has repeatedly been directed at opposition figures, may be used
to silence criticism of the government ahead of the July 10 vote.
Since campaigning began on July 1, opposition candidates have been taken
to task under the law over comments made on three issues; government
spending for foreign students, plans to grow the city-state's 5.7
million population to 10 million, and government advisories that
discouraged COVID-19 testing for foreign workers.
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Concerns about immigration and jobs have dominated discussion during the
campaigning as the city-state faces its deepest ever recession due to
the coronavirus pandemic.
As yet, no lawmakers from the ruling People's Action Party - which has
governed since independence in 1965 - have been served correction
orders.
The government has denied suggestions that the Protection from Online
Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) could be used to stifle
opposition, and says the law does not curb legitimate criticism or
restrict free speech. The POFMA office did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
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![](../images/070620PICS/news_r31.jpg)
Women wearing face masks use their mobile phones as haze shrouds
Singapore's central business district August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar
Su
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Government ministers usually have the power to exercise the law, but
during the election period this responsibility has been handed to
senior civil servants.
Under the law, authorities can order political parties, news outlets
and social media users to carry warnings that their pages or posts
contain false statements, and to include links to a government
fact-checking website.
The Social Democratic Party, one of the opposition parties that has
fallen foul of the law, said in a post that carried the warning that
it disputed the "correction" but was bound to comply and would
appeal.
Rights groups and opposition parties have criticised the government
for calling the election while Singapore was still trying to stamp
out COVID-19 infections, though most cases have been in migrant
worker dormitories.
The government says it needs a fresh mandate to tackle the economic
and social challenges ahead. (This story has been corrected to
rectify name of party in paragraph nine to Singapore Democratic
Party)
(Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
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