Under The Angsana Tree: Man charged in court instead of being POFMAed

Mr Shanmugam was also asked why a Singaporean man was charged in court on Monday, instead of being served a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), for allegedly posting false claims that supermarkets would only open two days a week as part of enhanced measures.

The man was charged with communicating a false message under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act. If convicted, he can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.

Mr Shanmugam said the facts of the case fit with the charge, which was brought on the man on the advice of the Attorney-General’s Chambers. “You look at the previous cases where Pofma was used... in the vast majority, probably, there was no other criminal offence,” he added. “When it’s a criminal offence, we will take action along those lines... but if it crosses the threshold for Pofma, we will use Pofma.”

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Cabby jailed for posting fake COVID-19 'intel' on food outlet closures, urging panic buying

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui allegedly posted a false message on Facebook saying that he had "intel" on extended circuit breaker measures.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

A taxi driver was jailed four months on Wednesday (May 27) for posting a fake message on Facebook about supposed food outlet closures and urging panic buying.

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui, 40, pleaded guilty to one charge of transmitting a message he knew to be false. Lai claimed that he saw a text message in one of his WhatsApp groups between Apr 15 and Apr 16, stating that "disposable food container can transmit the virus" and "hawker centre and coffeeshop will be closed".

He was unable to identify who sent the purported message, and the message could not later be recovered from his phone.

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Taxi driver jailed for four months over false Facebook post on food shortage

Despite Kenneth Lai Yong Hui taking the post down within 15 minutes, DPP Deborah Lee asked for a deterrent sentence saying that the psychological fight to allay fear and hysteria pertaining to the virus is just as important as containing its spread

A middle aged Singaporean was sentenced to four months jail on Wednesday (27 May), after he falsely claimed that food outlets would close due to COVID-19 restrictions in a post published on a private Facebook group, even though he deleted the post after 15 minutes of publishing it.

40-year-old Kenneth Lai Yong Hui, a taxi driver, had falsely claimed that the Government was closing food courts and coffee shops and that supermarkets would only be open twice a week. Urging people to be prepared for the closure, the post said, “Better go stock up your stuff for the next month or so.”

Although Lai took down the post in about 15 minutes, the public prosecutor urged the courts to give the taxi driver a punishment that would act as a deterrent against similar offences. Deputy public prosecutor Deborah Lee said, “The psychological fight to allay fear and hysteria is just as important as the fight to contain the spread of Covid-19.”

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Singaporean man charged with posting fake information on Covid-19 circuit breaker measures

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui allegedly posted a false message on Facebook saying that he had "intel" on extended circuit breaker measures.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

A 40-year-old Singaporean man has been charged over false claims he allegedly made that supermarkets would only open two days a week as part of enhanced measures here.

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui, 40, is accused of posting the false information on Facebook group "Taxiuncle", saying he had received information that enhanced Covid-19 circuit breaker measures would be rolled out on April 18.

The Singaporean was hauled to court on Monday (April 27) and charged with communicating a false message. The Straits Times understands that Lai is a taxi driver. He is believed to be the first person to be charged with the offence during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Authorities ‘watching closely’ fake videos that try to stir trouble among foreign workers: Shanmugam

The Government will take action against any falsehoods and will consider the appropriate action, he said, noting that a man was charged for putting out falsehoods earlier this week.

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui was charged on Monday with posting a false message that claimed he "got intel" that Singapore would close food courts and coffee shops from "this Saturday" and that supermarkets would open only two days a week.

“We will go on the basis of the Attorney-General's Chambers' advice, and when it's a criminal offence, we will take action along those lines. If it doesn't cross that threshold but if it crosses a threshold for the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), we'll use Pofma,” he said.

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Man charged with posting fake 'intel' on Covid-19 measures on Facebook

A 40-year-old man was charged on Monday (April 27) with posting a fake message about purported new Covid-19 measures on Facebook.

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui is accused of posting a message that claimed he "got intel" that Singapore would "proceed with more measures" from "this Saturday".

The message, which was posted on a Facebook page named Taxiuncle, added that food courts and coffee shops would purportedly close and that supermarkets would open only two days a week.

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Fake videos being spread to create trouble in foreign worker dorms, risk 'serious' law and order incidents: Shanmugam

Still, Mr Shanmugam said authorities will take action against any kind of falsehood, not just those pertaining to foreign workers.

He referred to a man who was on Monday charged with posting fake "intel" on Facebook regarding how supermarkets would only open two days a week due to stricter COVID-19 measures.

"We will consider what's the appropriate action," he said. "If it doesn't have a substantial public interest element, we might leave it be. What action we'll take depends on the nature of the post and the contents."

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Man charged with posting fake 'intel' on COVID-19 measures on Facebook

The false message posted on Facebook about purported COVID-19 measures. (Photo: Singapore Police Force)

A 40-year-old man was charged on Monday (Apr 27) with posting a fake message about purported new COVID-19 measures on Facebook.

Kenneth Lai Yong Hui is accused of posting a message that claimed he "got intel" that Singapore would "proceed with more measures" from "this Saturday".

The message, which was posted on a Facebook page named Taxiuncle, added that food courts and coffee shops would purportedly close and that supermarkets would open only two days a week.

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MAN TO BE CHARGED FOR COMMUNICATING FALSE INFORMATION RELATING TO COVID-19 CIRCUIT BREAKER MEASURES

The Police will be charging a 40-year-old man in the State Courts on 27 April 2020 for posting a false message on a Facebook group relating to COVID-19 circuit breaker measures. The charge is for an offence of communicating a false message under Section 14D(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, Chapter 184, which carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine of maximum S$10,000, or both.

Between 15 and 16 April 2020, the man had allegedly posted the following false message on a Facebook group “Taxiuncle”:

“Got intel say sg will proceed with more measures in place come this Saturday.
Food courts coffee shop all to close
Supermarkets will only open two days a week
Better go stock up your stuff for the next month or so.
Govt officials in meeting yesterday and will finalize measures tomorrow.”

The Police will not hesitate to take action against anyone who transmits or communicates falsehoods. Members of the public should refer to official sources for information and avoid spreading unsubstantiated information or false rumours, as these may cause fear and public alarm

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Parliament: About 40 instances of Covid-19 fake news debunked since start of 2020, says S. Iswaran