Pofma orders issued to The Online Citizen, YouTube channel over Ridout Road property claims
Source: Straits Times
Article Date: 26 Feb 2025
Author: Ang Qing
Both publications are required to publish correction notices on their original publications and related social media posts.
Alternative news outlet The Online Citizen (TOC) and YouTube channel Twenty Two Thirty have been asked to correct their claims regarding the Ridout Road colonial bungalow leased by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam’s wife.
In a statement on Feb 25, the Ministry of Law said Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong had issued the instructions to both publications under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).
They are required to publish correction notices on their original publications and related social media posts, stating that their content communicated falsehoods and providing a link to the Government’s clarification. Twenty Two Thirty has complied with the orders.
On Feb 14, TOC published an article highlighting ongoing modification works at the Ridout Road bungalow, while on Feb 16, Twenty Two Thirty, which has over 11,000 YouTube subscribers, released a video discussing the same property.
The Government, on its fact-checking website Factually, said the publications had painted a false and misleading picture by claiming the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) had given Mr Shanmugam assurances that he could extend the lease of 26 Ridout Road beyond its expiry in 2027.
It clarified that the tenancy was renewed for a third three-year term from June 2024 till June 2027, in line with SLA’s prevailing guidelines. Tenancies for residential state properties can be renewed every three years, up to a total of nine years.
The authority typically allows tenancy renewals upon expiry of any tenancy term, unless the Government has other plans for the site or the tenant has a poor track record.
The Government said: “There has not been any new undisclosed tenancy term, nor has SLA given any assurance to Minister Shanmugam of any extension beyond the expiry of the term in 2027.”
In its article, TOC had raised questions about why large-scale earthworks are carried out at the bungalow when the lease will expire in two years.
The Government said SLA generally allows tenants to carry out improvement works on their property during the tenancy, although it would advise tenants to consider the remaining timeframe.
It added that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) had ensured that all necessary approvals had been obtained for the works carried out at the property, contrary to what the article had alleged.
The Government also said no public funds were used to pay for earthworks at the property that have been carried out since 2024.
It added: “The tenant at 26 Ridout Road bore the full costs of the earthworks conducted since 2024, as well as the other improvement works carried out by the tenant.”
The Government noted that TOC had previously published false claims relating to the rental of the property and the bungalow at 31 Ridout Road, which has been leased by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s wife.
It said TOC has persisted with baseless assertions of impropriety by ministers, SLA and other public agencies despite receiving a Pofma correction direction on Feb 18, 2024, about the issue.
Recipients of the notice are still required to insert a link to the Government’s clarification even after deleting their posts.
In 2023, MPs aired questions for nearly six hours in Parliament about the Ridout Road properties, following allegations of corruption and abuse of power relating to the rentals of the state-owned heritage bungalows.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
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