​News analysis: Fake-news laws — what do the first two cases tell us?

TODAY, 5 Dec

Singapore’s landmark Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) was invoked twice in four days last week - less than two months after it kicked in. Dr Shashi Jayakumar from NTU’s RSIS said that it might have been preferable for the government to spend more time making extra clarification elsewhere, even after opposition party member, Lawyer Brad Bowyer complied and made amends to his statements suggesting government control on Temasek and GIC’s investment decisions. Dr Jayakumar also questioned the 12 day delay between Mr Bowyer’s post and the Government’s correction directive. On the other hand, NTU’s Assoc Prof Alton Chua from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information said Mr Bowyer’s case was one of information asymmetry, as the inner workings of the two organisations are not easily accessible to the man-on-the-street.