IMDA orders States Times Review to take down 'objectionable' article
SINGAPORE: The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has ordered the States Times Review to take down an article which the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has said is baseless and defamatory.
If the alternative news website fails to do so by 5pm on Friday (Nov 9), IMDA will direct Internet Service Providers to restrict access to the site, it said in a statement.
AdvertisementThe article in question, titled "Lee Hsien Loong becomes 1MDB’s key investigation target", was posted on Monday on the website.
It alleged that Malaysia had signed several unfair agreements with Singapore in exchange for Singapore banks’ assistance in laundering the funds of Malaysian state fund 1MDB.
[h=3]READ: States Times Review article contains 'absurd allegations', says K Shanmugam[/h]The Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Friday morning it has filed a police report over the article, which it said was false, defamatory and "impugned its integrity".
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Accordingly, IMDA has assessed that the article undermined public confidence in the integrity of the Singapore Government and is objectionable on grounds of public interest, and would therefore constitute prohibited content under IMDA’s Internet Code of Practice," the media authority said.
IMDA said it has also asked Facebook to take down a post sharing the article.
As of 4pm on Friday, a check by Channel NewsAsia showed that both the article and the Facebook post had not been taken down.
"ERRONEOUS" CLAIMS, SAYS SOURCE QUOTED IN ARTICLE
The States Times Review article also said that the editor of Sarawak Report, Ms Clare Rewcastle, had revealed in an interview with Malaysian media that "Singapore is one of the key investigation targets, alongside Switzerland and United States" in the 1MDB scandal.
Sarawak Report responded to this claim on Thursday by calling it "erroneous" and disowned the remarks. It also sought a correction from States Times Review.
"SR has not given any such interview and has not written on this subject," Sarawak Report said in a Facebook post.
"The article moreover is unclear in its direction and meaning."
[h=3]READ: 1MDB scandal: A timeline[/h]STATES TIMES REVIEW EDITOR WELCOMES LAWSUIT
The States Times Review editor Alex Tan on Friday posted on the site's Facebook account, saying he "fully welcomes a libel suit" from Mr Lee in an Australian court.
"If the Singapore Prime Minister feels he has been wronged by the allegations, he should rightfully commence legal proceedings right away," he said.
"STR believes in independent and accurate reporting, and as such, if the Prime Minister could deliver a reasonable explanation to the 'fake news' ... I am willing to take the first flight home and turn myself in to the Singapore police," added Mr Tan.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said the article added a "nasty and malicious twist" to bilateral issues that had been made public and contained "absurd allegations".
He said the Government is taking the incident seriously and that the police would take action based on investigations and advice from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
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SINGAPORE: The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has ordered the States Times Review to take down an article which the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has said is baseless and defamatory.
If the alternative news website fails to do so by 5pm on Friday (Nov 9), IMDA will direct Internet Service Providers to restrict access to the site, it said in a statement.
AdvertisementThe article in question, titled "Lee Hsien Loong becomes 1MDB’s key investigation target", was posted on Monday on the website.
It alleged that Malaysia had signed several unfair agreements with Singapore in exchange for Singapore banks’ assistance in laundering the funds of Malaysian state fund 1MDB.
[h=3]READ: States Times Review article contains 'absurd allegations', says K Shanmugam[/h]The Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Friday morning it has filed a police report over the article, which it said was false, defamatory and "impugned its integrity".
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Accordingly, IMDA has assessed that the article undermined public confidence in the integrity of the Singapore Government and is objectionable on grounds of public interest, and would therefore constitute prohibited content under IMDA’s Internet Code of Practice," the media authority said.
IMDA said it has also asked Facebook to take down a post sharing the article.
As of 4pm on Friday, a check by Channel NewsAsia showed that both the article and the Facebook post had not been taken down.
"ERRONEOUS" CLAIMS, SAYS SOURCE QUOTED IN ARTICLE
The States Times Review article also said that the editor of Sarawak Report, Ms Clare Rewcastle, had revealed in an interview with Malaysian media that "Singapore is one of the key investigation targets, alongside Switzerland and United States" in the 1MDB scandal.
Sarawak Report responded to this claim on Thursday by calling it "erroneous" and disowned the remarks. It also sought a correction from States Times Review.
"SR has not given any such interview and has not written on this subject," Sarawak Report said in a Facebook post.
"The article moreover is unclear in its direction and meaning."
[h=3]READ: 1MDB scandal: A timeline[/h]STATES TIMES REVIEW EDITOR WELCOMES LAWSUIT
The States Times Review editor Alex Tan on Friday posted on the site's Facebook account, saying he "fully welcomes a libel suit" from Mr Lee in an Australian court.
"If the Singapore Prime Minister feels he has been wronged by the allegations, he should rightfully commence legal proceedings right away," he said.
"STR believes in independent and accurate reporting, and as such, if the Prime Minister could deliver a reasonable explanation to the 'fake news' ... I am willing to take the first flight home and turn myself in to the Singapore police," added Mr Tan.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said the article added a "nasty and malicious twist" to bilateral issues that had been made public and contained "absurd allegations".
He said the Government is taking the incident seriously and that the police would take action based on investigations and advice from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
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