- Singapore Democratic Party indicated it would follow the order regarding post claiming Singaporeans have been displaced from white-collar jobs by foreigners
- Law enables government ministers to order a correction for a false or misleading claim, and for material not in the public interest to be removed
Singapore has ordered an opposition party to correct Facebook and website posts under a controversial law against misinformation, ahead of elections expected within months.
The Facebook post from December 2 by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) claimed many Singaporeans had been displaced from white-collar jobs by foreign employees. Authorities said this is false.
"These false and misleading statements by the SDP have a singular objective " to stoke fear and anxiety among local PMETs (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians). It is important to set the facts straight so that Singaporeans are not misled," the government said on its fact-checking site.
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The post carried a graphic showing falling employment of local executives and a report promoting the party's population policy, according to the statement.
The SDP, one of a host of small opposition parties in the city state, confirmed on Sunday it would comply with the directive. However, SDP vice-chairman John Tan said the conclusions made by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo were "disputable".
"Under POFMA, we have to comply with the order but we will be applying to cancel the Correction Directions," said Tan, referring to the controversial law against misinformation called the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act.
The SDP also posted a media statement on Sunday which argued against the points raised by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). It noted several reports by local media, including The Straits Times (ST) and Today, which supported the alleged misinformation.
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"As (ST) is a government-controlled newspaper, we have no reason to believe that it would publish fake news about the government," the statement said. "As such, the MOM should take the matter up with the ST. If the ST states that its information, or the interpretation of it, is incorrect, we would be happy to amend our statement correspondingly."
POFMA was enacted in October. It enables government ministers to order a correction to be carried for a false or misleading claim, and for material not in the public interest to be taken down.
Any company found in breach of the law and refusing to comply with corrective orders issued by the government could face fines of up to S$1 million (US$739,000), while individuals may face 10 years in prison.
It is the third time authorities have used the law. In the first case of the new law's use, opposition political figure Brad Bowyer swiftly complied with a correction request last month.
The Singapore government also ordered Facebook to correct a post by an Australia-based dissident, deemed incorrect.
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According to the SDP, Google also cited the new regulation, which prohibits adverts seeking to influence public opinion, when it announced a ban on political ads in Singapore this month.
The party said the move would affect its ability to reach out to voters in a country where the mainstream media usually backs the government.
The increased use of the law comes as speculation mounts that elections could be called within months, although a weak opposition is seen as no match for the long-ruling People's Action Party.
Singapore's government, which regularly faces criticism for curbing civil liberties, insists the legislation is necessary to stop the spread of damaging falsehoods online.
Former US president Barack Obama, while visiting Singapore, on Saturday discussed the challenge of tackling misinformation online without risking the abuse of power.
"I think in any country, if the government is the only person that is deciding what is true and what's not, that's dangerous," Obama said, citing China as an example of how a government takes full control of such issues.
"Because let's face it, the people in power tend to want to let you hear what makes them look good. It's human nature. And so then you reduce checks and balances over time."
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Obama was the keynote speaker at Saturday's Education Benefit Gala organised by healthcare and aesthetics group Novena Global Lifecare. During his hour-long appearance, he also urged social media platforms to take greater responsibility.
"Right now, they act as if they are utilities that Facebook is the equivalent of electrical lines or telephones," he said.
"There is an increasing recognition that even though it is not obvious and on the surface, they are making serious editorial decisions in their algorithms and in terms of what rises to the top of the search page and what drops down to the bottom. That means that they've got some social responsibilities and that's going to be part of it."
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse, Bloomberg and Reuters
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