Singapore to block access to news outlet MalaysiaNow over failure to comply with POFMA order

SINGAPORE: Internet access service providers in Singapore have been ordered to block online news outlet MalaysiaNow following its non-compliance with a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) jointly announced this on Monday (Nov 17), two days after the POFMA order was issued.

On Saturday, MalaysiaNow was issued a POFMA correction direction in relation to an article published on Nov 9 that contained false statements concerning the treatment of convicted drug courier Pannir Selvam Pranthaman.

“We are aware of MalaysiaNow’s statement rejecting the CD (corrective direction) and criticising the Singapore government’s approach to clarifying online falsehoods,” MDDI and MHA said on Monday.

“The CD requires MalaysiaNow to display the facts alongside the falsehoods published, enabling readers in Singapore to read both versions and make their own assessment about the matter.

“Despite reminders sent to MalaysiaNow to comply with the CD, MalaysiaNow has not complied. These are not actions that would be taken by any responsible media outlet with journalistic integrity.”

Under the order, MalaysiaNow was required to carry correction notices alongside the article on its website, Facebook, X and LinkedIn posts.

However, MalaysiaNow said in an article on Saturday that it would not comply with Singapore's instructions to carry the correction notices as it “does not take instructions from any government”.

"We do not take instructions from our own government; what makes them think we would take instructions from them?" wrote MalaysiaNow editor Abdar Rahman Koya.

A correction direction does not require the recipient to adopt the government’s position or to remove the original post. Instead, it requires the government’s position to be carried alongside the original post.

This is so that people can read both the post or article together with the official clarifications, and come to their own conclusion, MHA said previously. 

Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong has also instructed the POFMA Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms, LinkedIn and X. 

All three platforms will be required to communicate a correction notice to all end-users in Singapore who had accessed, or will access, the posts.

MDDI and MHA added that the government is "committed to its duty to protect Singaporeans from harmful misinformation".

FALSE STATEMENTS

MHA said on Saturday that the MalaysiaNow article on Nov 9 made several false statements, such as that Pannir’s execution was carried out without regard for the rule of law and that the government’s decision not to provide a certificate of substantive assistance was unlawful.

It also claimed the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) secretly facilitated an interview of Pannir by the Malaysian police, during which a CNB officer wore a Malaysia police uniform and hid his identity as a CNB officer.

The article additionally falsely stated that Singapore Prison Service (SPS) officers tried to deceive Pannir’s family into signing a form stating that all of Pannir’s belongings had been handed over to them.

According to MHA, Pannir was not granted a certificate of substantive assistance as the public prosecutor concluded that he had not provided substantive assistance to CNB. 

Pannir's legal challenge against the public prosecutor’s decision not to issue a certificate of substantive assistance was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal in November 2021.

Under the law, a person facing a capital charge of drug trafficking or importation may be sentenced to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

This is provided that the following requirements are met: Involvement is limited to that of being a courier as defined in section 33B(2)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, and the public prosecutor has issued a certificate of substantive assistance to certify to the court that, in his or her determination, the person has substantively assisted CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.

The determination of whether any person has substantively assisted CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities is at the sole discretion of the public prosecutor, MHA added.