The Singapore government has directed the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to block access to the website of the East Asia Forum (EAF) for failing to comply with a correction direction issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).
The direction concerns falsehoods in an article titled “Singapore’s new prime minister entangled in old politics,” published by the Australia-based academic platform on 14 January.
According to a statement released on 24 January 2025, the article, authored by Michael Barr, an associate professor at Flinders University, contained multiple inaccuracies regarding governance and political conduct in Singapore.
The POFMA Office had issued a correction direction on 22 January 2025, requiring EAF to display a notice clarifying the alleged falsehoods alongside the article. However, despite three reminders, EAF failed to comply with the directive.
The Minister for Digital Development and Information (MDDI) subsequently instructed IMDA to issue access-blocking orders. Internet service providers in Singapore are now required to disable access to EAF’s website for end-users in Singapore. The block will remain in place until EAF meets the requirements of the correction direction.
In addition to the website block, Minister Indranee Rajah in the Prime Minister’s Office directed the POFMA Office to issue Targeted Correction Directions to social media platforms Meta Platforms, Inc., LinkedIn Corporation, and X Corp (formerly Twitter). These platforms are required to display correction notices to all users in Singapore who have accessed or will access posts linking to the article.
Key Falsehoods Addressed by the Government
The government’s fact-checking website, Factually, outlined the inaccuracies in the article.
Among the most notable claims was an assertion that the Singapore government misused state resources for Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s personal agenda. This included allegations about efforts to convert the family home at 38 Oxley Road into a memorial for his father, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
Factually clarified that the investigation involving Lee Hsien Yang, a sibling of Lee Hsien Loong, stemmed from findings of a disciplinary tribunal that concluded both he and his wife had provided false testimony under oath. Moreover, no decision regarding the family home’s preservation has been made, as it remains under independent assessment by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.
Other falsehoods included claims about political prosecutions, such as allegations of baseless charges against Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and six executives from Keppel Offshore & Marine. Factually clarified that Singh’s case arose under the Parliament Act after a review by the Public Prosecutor, while the Keppel case involved the prosecution of culpable individuals based on substantive evidence.
Additionally, the article alleged a lack of transparency regarding political officeholders’ financial interests. Factually countered this by highlighting Singapore’s strong anti-corruption stance and comprehensive frameworks for financial disclosure by public officials.
EAF’s History of Non-Compliance
This is not the first instance of non-compliance by EAF. In September 2023, the site was blocked following its failure to comply with a correction direction regarding another article, “A spate of scandals strikes Singapore.” The article was later removed, and access to the site was restored after the author issued an apology.
Under POFMA, non-compliance can result in significant penalties. Entities such as EAF may face fines of up to S$500,000, while individuals can be fined up to S$20,000 or face imprisonment for up to 12 months.
