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Police report made against Calvin Cheng for online remarks

Former NMP Calvin Cheng (File photo)

[Update 6:11pm, 16 Dec: The police confirmed that reports were lodged and investigations are ongoing.]

The People's Power Party (PPP) says one of its members has lodged a police report against former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Calvin Cheng for falling foul of the Sedition Act.

In a Facebook post today (16 Dec), the PPP said that he has "gravely threatened Singapore's security" with his recent comments. On 17 Nov, Cheng posted a comment on Facebook which seemed to urge the killing the children of terrorists “in case they grow up to take revenge”.

Cheng was responding to a thread about liberalism and security started by Future-Moves group chief executive Devadas Krishnadas. He later clarified that he was referring to child soldiers who were being trained as terrorists.

In its Facebook post which included a copy of the police report (dated 14 Dec), the PPP claimed, "Calvin Cheng has caused enmity and hatred from the terrorists group that he threatened to hurt and kill them...This provocation potentially put our country in grave danger of terrorists attacks and will have infringed the Internal Security Act.

The police and the Ministry of Home affair [sic] should therefore do a thorough investigation on this matter of grave importance."

A screenshot of the police report made against Calvin Cheng. Photo source: People's Power Party Facebook page
A screenshot of the police report made against Calvin Cheng. Photo source: People's Power Party Facebook page

Last month, the Media Literacy Council (MLC) - of which Cheng is a member - issued a statement in response to numerous complaints about Cheng's remarks. Council chair Professor Tan Cheng Han said that while his words were "insensitive and inappropriate", they did not amount to "hate speech". Cheng subsequently apologised to "fellow members of the MLC, the Media Development Authority (MDA) and his supporters" for his comments.

Yahoo Singapore has reached out to the Singapore Police Force to confirm that the report was lodged, and are awaiting their statement.

In response to queries from Yahoo Singapore on the matter, Cheng replied with a terse, "No comment."

Cheng himself has sought official redress following online remarks. In 2013, he lodged a police report over a Facebook comment threatening to kill and burn him.