SINGAPORE: A candidate from the People’s Action Party (PAP) contesting in the upcoming General Election has lodged a police report against a Threads user who allegedly made false and defamatory claims about him and his children.
Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, a member of the PAP team contesting in Chua Chu Kang GRC for GE2025, took to Instagram on Thursday (24 April) to address the matter publicly.
Allegations Sparked by Viral Threads Post
The controversy began when the user “wn.shafika” posted on Threads on Wednesday (23 April), claiming that she had tutored a Member of Parliament’s daughter in Malay earlier this year.
The post suggested that the MP’s daughter struggled with basic Malay, despite the father being a political candidate and serving on a Malay language board.
“Apparently, earlier this year I tutored an MP’s daughter in Malay. Her father is running in the election as a ruling party candidate and sits on some Malay Language Board. The daughter did not seem like she could string a sentence in Malay,” she wrote.
Although Shafika did not explicitly name Zhulkarnain in her post, the mention of the parent’s career led to speculation that she was referring to him.
This is because two PAP members are involved in the Majlis Bahasa Melayu Singapura (MBMS), also known as the Malay Language Council of Singapore.
One of them, Mohd Fahmi Aliman, serves as the chairman of MBMS but is not contesting in this year’s general election, according to a report by Berita Harian.
The other is Zhulkarnain, who is contesting in GE2025 as part of the PAP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC team and also holds the role of Chairman of the Bulan Bahasa Committee in MBMS.
Zhulkarnain: “You Must Have Mistaken Me for Someone Else”
In response to the post, Zhulkarnain took to Instagram on Thursday (24 April) to directly address the matter.
He wrote that Shafika was clearly attempting to refer to him but had mistaken him for someone else.
He firmly denied the claims, stating that they were entirely false, as neither of his two daughters had taken any Malay tuition classes in the past two years.
Zhulkarnain also criticised the conduct of the individual who made the post, describing it as highly inappropriate and unprofessional, especially coming from someone who identifies as an educator.
He expressed that bringing up a minor’s language ability in public was not only an attempt to shame the child but also an indirect attack on her parent.
He urged the individual to show decency and refrain from publicly targeting another person’s family and invading their privacy.
Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, Zhulkarnain said he would be reporting the incident to the authorities and seeking legal redress, as the claims concern the reputation of his children and himself.
He concluded his post by calling on the public to uphold respect and decency in political discourse, particularly during the general election period.
“We may not share the same political inclinations or ideologies, but we should show the same basic human decency and respect to all in our discourse and behaviour,” he wrote.
Shafika Responds: “It’s a Misunderstanding”
In response to the allegations, Shafika attempted to clarify her post by sending a direct message to Zhulkarnain on Instagram and posting a comment on his account.
In her message, she explained that the post was not intended to refer to him or his family.
“Salam Minister Zhul, I understand you have made reports against me. Best believe the post is not about you and your family, as I have never met your children or know who they are in my line of tutoring work. It is a misunderstanding, as my post is not at all about you, as I have never met your children before.”
Legal Steps Taken
Zhulkarnain confirmed that legal action had already been initiated. In an Instagram update, he stated that a police report had been officially filed.
“I have taken legal advice and my solicitors have filed an official police report today with reference to the false and defamatory post made about my family, by a person with the handle ‘wn.shafika’ on the social media platform, Threads,” he wrote.
He added that, as the matter is now under police investigation, he would not be able to provide further comments at this time.
Zhulkarnain concluded his post by reaffirming his commitment to the electoral campaign, stating, “I remain committed to winning the hearts and minds of Chua Chu Kang residents during this campaigning period.
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