July 2023 saw the highest number of correction orders issued under POFMA in a month since April 2020 when the partial lockdown, called the circuit breaker, was imposed to curb Covid-19.
In addition, two online publications have been issued correction directions, namely, the Jom website and a blog entitled Political Sophistry, under the fake news law POFMA. Only two other months have matched the number of correction orders that were handed out this month: January and April 2020 – the month Covid-19 hit Singapore shores and the month the country entered the circuit breaker period, respectively.
In July 2020, it was invoked four times and in May that year, three times. POFMA was invoked on two occasions in February and one instance each in March and June. It was not used between August and December in 2020. A PAP minister has been suspended since around the time he was arrested as part of a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau probe.
As to why the Act empowers Ministers to issue corrections or take down orders, the Ministry has said in an FAQ: “Falsehoods can affect any policy domain. The Minister whose policy domain is affected by the falsehood can issue a correction or take down direction.”The opposition in Singapore, local and foreign activist groups, the international media and large tech giants have expressed deep concern over the reach of the law.
The Act has been criticised by human rights groups and free speech organisations, as well. Reporters Without Borders claimed that the bill was “terrible”, stating that it is “totalitarian” and used as a tool to regulate public debates.