Singapore: Law against misinformation used for first time

The Singaporean Government on November 25 ordered a member of the opposition Progress Singapore Party to correct a Facebook post which authorities said could smear the reputation of state investment funds.
Hanoi (VNA) – TheSingaporean Government on November 25 ordered a member of the opposition ProgressSingapore Party to correct a Facebook post which authorities said could smearthe reputation of state investment funds.

The move marked the country’susage of its law to combat misinformation for the firsttime after the legislation came into force last month.

Brad Bowyer, a member of the Progress SingaporeParty, was ordered to correct a November 13 Facebook post in which hequestioned the independence of state-linked investment vehicle Temasek andsovereign wealth fund GIC.

The government's fact-checking site said thegovernment does not influence, let alone direct, the individual investment decisionsmade by Temasek and GIC.

After that, Bowyer issued a correction noticeto his original post.

The law, passed by the country’s parliament inMay, gives government ministers the power to decide what is fake news and totake action in the name of protecting the public interest. Individualswho violate the law can be fined up to 100,000 SGD (73,200 USD) or jailed up to10 years, or both, while companies can be slapped with fines of up to 1 millionSGD./.
VNA

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