Facebook has rejected a Singaporean government request to remove a post of an online article that the government said was “false and malicious,” prompting the Singaporean Ministry of Law to say the case illustrated the need to introduce legislation to stop fake news.
Singapore’s central bank on Friday said it had filed a police report against an online article by an Australia-based independent blogger about Singaporean banks and Malaysia’s scandal-linked 1MDB state fund.
Access in Singapore to the Web site of the States Times Review has been blocked by Internet service providers as directed by the Singaporean Infocommm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which said it had determined that the Web site carried prohibited content.
“IMDA has assessed that the article undermined public confidence in the integrity of the Singapore government and is objectionable on grounds of public interest,” the IMDA said in a statement.
States Times Review articles on its Facebook page remained available.
The IMDA asked Facebook to take down a post of the article, but added yesterday in a separate statement that “Facebook has indicated that they will not accede to IMDA’s request.”
Facebook did not respond to a request for comment.
Singapore’s parliament has been debating measures to tackle fake news, including introducing legislation.
The Straits Times Review was founded and is run by Singaporean political activist Alex Tan (陳智祥), who is based in Australia. It carries articles that are critical of Singapore’s leaders and its ruling People’s Action Party.
Tan said in a Facebook post on Friday that he had decided to suspend activities on the Web site because “it lost a channel to reach Singaporeans.”
Tan could not be reached for comment.
Phil Robertson, Asia’s deputy director of Human Rights Watch, which has been critical of Singapore’s laws limiting critical speech and peaceful assembly, said the Singaporean government was engaged in bullying tactics against the Straits Times Review.
“If a story is inaccurate, Singapore should refute it with facts, not shoot the messenger. Actions like these show that when it comes to media freedom, Singapore is no better than repressive regimes like Vietnam or Laos,” Robertson said.
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