TOC received the following email which apparently was copied to them. It was addressed, among others, to Wong Kan Seng, K Shanmugam, the ISD, the police force, the Attorney General, Lui Tuck Yew. It was also copied to New Asia Republic and Temasek Review.
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to seek clarifications on the activities of The Online Citizen, (www.theonlinecitizen.com), a political blog in Singapore.
It has published numerous articles critical of government leaders, some of which are potentially defamatory and has led several campaigns against the Singapore government.
One, is it legal for The Online Citizen (TOC) to solicit for donations on its website from the public? Its Editor-in-Chief Andrew Loh has been asking Singaporeans to donate to The Online Citizen to support its cause. Since TOC is neither a political party, NGO or charity, is it permitted to raise funds from the public for its activities which are of a political nature?
Two, is it legal for TOC to organize public campaigns against the Singapore government? TOC has organized several public campaigns against the elected government of Singapore. Two years ago, its journalists tried to conduct a survey among Bukit Batok residents if they wanted a by-election after the demise of their MP and were given a warning by the police. On this coming Sunday, it will be organizing a public campaign against the mandatory death penalty in Singapore at Speaker's Corner which puts it at loggerheads with the Singapore judiciary.
Three, under Singapore law, foreigners are not allowed to donate to political parties and organizations in Singapore to prevent them from interfering in domestic politics. The Online Citizen has a large number of freelance journalists working for them. Who is paying for their services? I am concerned that TOC may receive funding from foreign organizations and agencies which harbor nefarious motives to influence public opinion to advocate for the overthrowing of the legitimate government of Singapore.
Four, from what I know, all political blogs in Singapore must register themselves with the Media Development Authority of Singapore. Has TOC registered with MDA? If now, can MDA please explain why it allows TOC to launch its online political campaigns against the Singapore government for so long?
Some TOC columnists have association with the opposition and had brushes with the law before:
- Andrew Loh is currently under investigation by the police for reprinting of seditious flyers on TOC. He is a former member of the Workers' Party.
- Rachel Zeng invited British author Alan Shadrake to Singapore. He has been charged by the AGC for criminal defamation in his book "Once a Jolly Hangman". She may be a member of the Singapore Democratic Party.
- Ng E Jay was charged for illegal assembly and fined $600 last year. He is a former member of the Reform Party.
- Gerald Giam: He is now a member of the Workers' Party.
- Leong Sze Hian: He has criticized the government on numerous occasions in interviews with the media and have attended opposition forums and gatherings to lend support to them.
Although TOC is not a registered newspaper, it has a very high readership especially among young Singaporeans. Its Facebook has more than 5,000 members and therefore it is in a position to influence public opinion which will have an impact on the result of the coming general election.
I hope the relevant authorities can monitor the activities of TOC closely and investigate the source of its funding to pre-empt any possible interference by foreign organizations which have a vested interest in Singapore politics. As an example, we cannot be sure if a foreign hand is behind TOC's public campaign against the mandatory death penalty in Singapore to put the Singapore government in a negative light internationally.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Wong
A concerned Singaporean
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to seek clarifications on the activities of The Online Citizen, (www.theonlinecitizen.com), a political blog in Singapore.
It has published numerous articles critical of government leaders, some of which are potentially defamatory and has led several campaigns against the Singapore government.
One, is it legal for The Online Citizen (TOC) to solicit for donations on its website from the public? Its Editor-in-Chief Andrew Loh has been asking Singaporeans to donate to The Online Citizen to support its cause. Since TOC is neither a political party, NGO or charity, is it permitted to raise funds from the public for its activities which are of a political nature?
Two, is it legal for TOC to organize public campaigns against the Singapore government? TOC has organized several public campaigns against the elected government of Singapore. Two years ago, its journalists tried to conduct a survey among Bukit Batok residents if they wanted a by-election after the demise of their MP and were given a warning by the police. On this coming Sunday, it will be organizing a public campaign against the mandatory death penalty in Singapore at Speaker's Corner which puts it at loggerheads with the Singapore judiciary.
Three, under Singapore law, foreigners are not allowed to donate to political parties and organizations in Singapore to prevent them from interfering in domestic politics. The Online Citizen has a large number of freelance journalists working for them. Who is paying for their services? I am concerned that TOC may receive funding from foreign organizations and agencies which harbor nefarious motives to influence public opinion to advocate for the overthrowing of the legitimate government of Singapore.
Four, from what I know, all political blogs in Singapore must register themselves with the Media Development Authority of Singapore. Has TOC registered with MDA? If now, can MDA please explain why it allows TOC to launch its online political campaigns against the Singapore government for so long?
Some TOC columnists have association with the opposition and had brushes with the law before:
- Andrew Loh is currently under investigation by the police for reprinting of seditious flyers on TOC. He is a former member of the Workers' Party.
- Rachel Zeng invited British author Alan Shadrake to Singapore. He has been charged by the AGC for criminal defamation in his book "Once a Jolly Hangman". She may be a member of the Singapore Democratic Party.
- Ng E Jay was charged for illegal assembly and fined $600 last year. He is a former member of the Reform Party.
- Gerald Giam: He is now a member of the Workers' Party.
- Leong Sze Hian: He has criticized the government on numerous occasions in interviews with the media and have attended opposition forums and gatherings to lend support to them.
Although TOC is not a registered newspaper, it has a very high readership especially among young Singaporeans. Its Facebook has more than 5,000 members and therefore it is in a position to influence public opinion which will have an impact on the result of the coming general election.
I hope the relevant authorities can monitor the activities of TOC closely and investigate the source of its funding to pre-empt any possible interference by foreign organizations which have a vested interest in Singapore politics. As an example, we cannot be sure if a foreign hand is behind TOC's public campaign against the mandatory death penalty in Singapore to put the Singapore government in a negative light internationally.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Wong
A concerned Singaporean
