Police reports filed against The Independent Singapore, 2 others over Bt Batok poll
Bukit Batok by-election campaign posters. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Police reports have been filed against socio-political website The Independent Singapore (TISG) and two individuals, for publishing several online articles and postings that may have breached rules against “election advertising” on Cooling-off Day and Polling Day during the Bukit Batok by-election early this month.
The two individuals are Ms Teo Soh Lung — who contested the 2011 General Election with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) — and Mr Roy Ngerng, who stood for the Reform Party in Ang Mo Kio during last September’s General Election. The police said they are looking into the matter.
The Assistant Returning Officer for the by-election decided to lodge the complaints given that the three parties regularly promote, propagate and discuss political issues, the Elections Department said in a press release on Friday (May 27), adding that TISG had continued to publish articles after having received a reminder not to do so.
The Parliamentary Elections Act states that election advertising refers to any material posted on a platform intended to “enhance the standing” or “promote or procure the electoral success” for political parties or candidates. This is prohibited on Cooling-off Day and Polling Day, given that the period of “campaign silence” is to let voters reflect rationally on issues raised before going to the polls, the department said.
It added that socio-political sites such as TISG should be accountable and responsible for what they publish.
On May 6, Cooling-off Day, the website published two articles, titled “5 highlights of DPM’s speech — Tharman wants to debate with Chee, but not in Parliament” and “Workers’ Party and the Bukit Batok by-election — What the WP members said”, and on Polling Day, a third article titled “Tan Cheng Bock denies involvement in posting by irrational group of PAP fans”.
TISG said in a statement on Friday night that it was “not aware”, at the time of publication, of the prohibitions and that they applied equally to all media. “It was never the intention of TISG to flout any laws, rules and regulations,” it said, adding that it wanted to know how the third article contravened regulations.
Ms Teo published four Facebook posts on May 6. They included two pictures and a call to support SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, a note on the media’s coverage of the contesting parties, and a link to SDP party member Paul Tambyah’s rally speech. She said: “I don’t understand why it is an offence to share my personal views.”
Mr Ngerng also disagreed that he had violated rules, saying: “I am an ordinary citizen who makes a posting on a personal basis.” His Facebook post on May 6 called for submissions to the “I believe in Chee Soon Juan” campaign, and a blog post on the same day.
The complaints filed against these three parties come after a similar one lodged against socio-political site The Middle Ground, which polled 50 Bukit Batok residents on the political party they were likely to vote for.
The penalties for posting election advertising on those two days are fines of up to S$1,000 and/or a jail term of up to 12 months.
