NewsStaff Writer, SingaporeHighlights: Shanmugam's opening speech on fake news law in Parliament
SINGAPORE — Parliament last Wednesday (8 May) passed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA), which will give the government the power to take individuals as well as online news sources and platforms to task if they disseminate “deliberate online falsehoods”.
NewsAmir HussainA look at fake news laws around the world
SINGAPORE — Amid criticism from observers on the wide-ranging powers under Singapore's fake news law, here's a look at similar legislation elsewhere.
NewsWong CasandraNew scanning technology may be adopted to combat illegal wildlife trade: Sun Xueling
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of National Development (MND) will continually review enforcement measures to combat illegal wildlife trade, including the adoption of more effective technologies, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development Sun Xueling.
NewsStaff Writer, SingaporeMuslim MPs and NMP break fast together late night after passing of POFMA
SINGAPORE — After debating intensely over the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA), 10 Muslim parliamentarians came together to break fast on Wednesday (8 May).
NewsChia Han Keong60% of Singaporeans say fake news have little to no influence on their views: survey
SINGAPORE — A majority of Singaporeans believe that online falsehoods and fake news do not have much influence on their views and opinions, according to a poll commissioned by Yahoo News Singapore.
NewsStaff Writer, SingaporeProtecting Johor River's condition more vital than raising water price: Vivian Balakrishnan
SINGAPORE — Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that, while Malaysia wants to raise the price of supplying its water from Johor to Singapore, the more pertinent concerns for Singapore are to increase the yield of the Johor River, and to safeguard its environmental conditions especially the quality of water.
NewsAmir HussainSingapore's fake news law passed amid partisan divide
SINGAPORE — The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) was passed in Parliament on Wednesday (8 May), bringing to a close a process which began with the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods holding public hearings early last year.
NewsWong CasandraLeon Perera and Walter Theseira fear fake news law could be abused by future government
SINGAPORE — A future rogue government could exercise the powers under the fake news law to stifle criticism or perpetuate fear, said Workers' Party Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leon Perera on Wednesday (8 May).
NewsVernon LeeFake news law: Academic research should not be conflated with activism, says Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE — As such, they want opinions, satires and criticisms to be explicitly excluded from the law, Ong said.
NewsAmir HussainIMDA to set up POFMA office to administer fake news law: S Iswaran
SINGAPORE — A new office will be set up within the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) to administer the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA), said Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran on Wednesday (8 May).
NewsAmir HussainGovernment must have powers to deal with falsehoods initially and swiftly, not courts: Shanmugam
SINGAPORE — The government must have the powers to deal with online falsehoods swiftly, as seeking recourse with the courts cannot be expected to happen within a matter of hours, said Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Wednesday (8 May).
NewsWong CasandraParliament: 682 enforcement notices issued for pigeon feeding offences in past 3 years
SINGAPORE — 682 enforcement notices were issued for pigeon feeding offences over the past three years, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development Sun Xueling on Wednesday (8 May).
NewsWong CasandraParliament: Not beneficial to foreign domestic workers to be brought in for short-term help
SINGAPORE — It could be detrimental to a foreign domestic worker (FDW) to be brought into Singapore to provide short-term help, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Low Yen Ling on Tuesday (7 May).
NewsVernon LeeFake news law is ploy by government to hold on to ‘absolute power’: Workers' Party MP Low Thia Khiang
SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party (WP) argued against the proposed fake news law on Tuesday (7 May) with its Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC Low Thia Khiang saying it is a ploy by the government to cement its “absolute power”.
NewsWong CasandraNo need for independent body to assess falsehoods, Parliament is accountable: Shanmugam
SINGAPORE — All functions of an independent council to tackle falsehoods can be achieved under the current structure of the executive in Parliament, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Tuesday (7 May), amid calls by various segments of society for its creation.
NewsAmir HussainParliament: Appeal against minister's decision under fake news law could be heard in court in 6 days
SINGAPORE — An appeal against a minister’s decision under the proposed fake news law could be heard in court in as little as six days.
NewsWong Casandra7 pollution incidents along Johor river have caused PUB plant's temporary shutdown since 2017: Masagos
SINGAPORE — There have been seven pollution incidents along the Johor river since 2017 that caused the Public Utilities Board’s (PUB’s) Johor River Waterworks plant to be shut down temporarily, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on Tuesday (7 May).
NewsChia Han Keong83% of Singaporeans prefer independent body to assess online falsehoods: survey
SINGAPORE — Over 80 per cent of Singaporeans believe that setting up an independent body to review reported cases of deliberate online falsehoods would be better than leaving it to ministers, according to a poll commissioned by Yahoo News Singapore.
NewsWong CasandraParliament: MPs divided over decriminalisation of attempted suicide
SINGAPORE — The criminalisation of attempted suicide must be retained as it is “a more compassionate approach” to deal with the complex issue, said Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Christopher de Souza on Monday (6 May).
NewsAmir HussainParliament: Maximum jail term for making voyeuristic recording increased to 2 years
SINGAPORE — Perpetrators of voyeuristic offences could face stiffer punishments under proposed changes to the law.
NewsWong CasandraVoyeurism is a growing concern in Singapore: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE — Voyeurism must be recognised as a growing concern in Singapore, and autonomous universities must “keep up with the times” and ensure that policies and processes remain relevant in dealing with the issue, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung.
NewsYahoo News Singapore VideosPre-ops drill for SSPH and lowering of the gun
Following the death of CFC (NS) Aloysius Pang, a Think-Check-Do drill will be implemented as a routine part of pre-maintenance task checks in the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH), said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament on Monday (6 May). Positions of emergency stop buttons will be re-emphasised and emergency procedures will be rehearsed as part of drills. Safe and hazardous areas will be further emphasised through bold markings. Read the story here . (VIDEO: Mindef)
NewsAmir HussainAloysius Pang's death: COI proposes SAF safety enhancements
SINGAPORE — In the wake of CFC (NS) Aloysius Pang's death, the Committee of Inquiry has proposed several recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
NewsAmir HussainAloysius Pang's death was preventable if all in howitzer gun complied with safety rules: COI
SINGAPORE — The death of Aloysius Pang was preventable had there been compliance with safety rules by all personnel inside the self-propelled howitzer he was trapped in.
NewsWong Casandra56 sexual misconduct cases handled by autonomous universities in past 3 years: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE — A total of 56 disciplinary cases involving sexual misconduct were handled by autonomous universities over the past three years, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung in Parliament on Monday (6 May), with about 66 per cent of the cases related to voyeurism.