The Minister for Home Affairs and for Law K. Shanmugam has rejected an appeal by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) seeking to vary a correction direction (CD) issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).
This announcement was made on 11 April 2025, following the SDP’s public statement on 8 April that it had submitted an application to amend the directive issued on 29 June 2024.
The Pofma correction direction was issued in response to posts published by the SDP on 27 and 28 June 2024 via its social media accounts.
These posts referred to the prosecution of three women—Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 25, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 29, and Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 35—who had allegedly organised a pro-Palestinian procession without a police permit near the Istana, which is designated as a prohibited area under the Public Order Act (POA).
In its June 2024 posts, the SDP stated that the women were prosecuted for showing support for the Palestinian people amid the Gaza conflict.
The party characterised the prosecution “signals the continuing inability of the PAP-led Government to be tolerant of the views and actions of those it disagrees with.”
However, on 29 June 2024, MHA issued a statement refuting these claims. MHA said the decision to prosecute was not related to the political views expressed by the women but rather to the unauthorised nature of the procession in a restricted area.
The SDP complied with the correction order at the time but criticised the prosecution as an infringement on constitutional rights, accusing the government of intolerance and hypocrisy.
They argued that the government’s actions contradict Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s promises of inclusivity and fostering democratic discourse.
SDP signals intent to escalate case to High Court, citing free speech and past Pofma enforcement concerns
SDP submitted an appeal against the CD more than nine months later, stating it wished to “clarify some key issues ahead of the General Election of 2025.”
In a Facebook post on 8 April, the SDP warned that if its request was denied by the Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K. Shanmugam, it would escalate the matter to the High Court.
The party argued that it did not claim the women were prosecuted for their support of Palestine, asserting instead that it was defending the constitutional right of citizens to express their views peacefully.
Additionally, the SDP claimed that the fake news legislation was “used at an unprecedented rate” during the 2020 General Election.
The party stated that it was crucial for individuals to be protected from penalties arising from statements they did not make.
Shanmugam: SDP’s selective appeal implies acceptance of falsehood in unchallenged statement
On 11 April, the MHA responded, reiterating that the SDP’s original posts had contained falsehoods.
The minister maintained that the women were charged specifically under Section 15(1) of the POA for organising a procession at the Istana, a location where such activities are explicitly prohibited.
The Istana is protected under Section 12 of the POA and the Public Order (Prohibited Areas) Order, which prohibits all processions without prior approval.
According to a MHA statement, the SDP had only appealed against the first component of the correction direction—the claim that the women were prosecuted for organising support for Palestine.
The party did not challenge the second part, which involved the assertion that the Government acted because it disagreed with the women’s views.
“This appears to suggest that the SDP agreed that the statement it made was false,” the minister said in the statement.
After reviewing the application, K Shanmugam concluded that there was “no merit” in the appeal and formally rejected it.
When asked about the Ministry’s response to their suggestion, the SDP replied, “We will see the Minister in court.”
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