SINGAPORE: The news organisation Bloomberg was issued a Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) correction direction by the Singapore government on Monday (Dec 23).
The correction order, also handed out to The Edge Singapore, The Independent Singapore and The Online Citizen, relates to articles and posts made by the publications about Good Class Bungalow (GCBs) transactions, said the Ministry of Law in a press release.
Bloomberg published the Dec 12 article, titled Singapore Mansion Deals Are Increasingly Shrouded in Secrecy, on its website. It was reposted on Bloomberg's Facebook and X accounts. The article was republished in full by The Edge Singapore on its website on the same day, and reposted on its Facebook account.
The Independent Singapore and The Online Citizen also published articles, commenting on the original Bloomberg piecem, on their websites on Dec 12, and subsequently reposted their articles on their respective social media pages.
The four publications will be required to carry correction notices against the articles and posts, which state that the said articles or posts communicated false statements of fact and provide a link to the Government’s clarification, said the ministry.
"This will allow readers to read both versions and draw their own conclusions."
A check by CNA on Monday at about 1.20pm showed that articles by The Edge Singapore and The Independent Singapore are no longer online.
According to the government's fact-checking website, Factually, Bloomberg's false statements "attack the transparency of property transactions in Singapore".
The Bloomberg article, according to Factually, falsely claimed that there are no publicly available government records of GCB sale transactions if caveats are not lodged, and that the identity of the ultimate beneficial owner need not be disclosed to the government.
It also claimed that GCB property transactions "can be carried out without any checks by the government on the identities of the ultimate beneficial owners" and that "primary responsibility to combat money laundering in property transactions is left to property agents and other service providers".
The article also claimed that there is "no publicly available government record of the GCB transaction if no caveat is lodged and no requirement to disclose to the government the identity of the ultimate beneficial owner in a trust arrangement or shell company", which allow parties "to transact such properties in a way facilitative of money laundering".
"Together, these falsehoods give the impression that Singapore does not have a robust legal framework to require disclosure of information to the government in GCB transactions, which may allow wrongdoing to take place undetected. It is in the public interest that these falsehoods are addressed so that public confidence in the government is not undermined," said Factually.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng jointly said on Dec 16 they were taking legal action against Bloomberg and other media outlets for publishing statements over their property transactions.
Both ministers added they would issue letters of demand in relation to the article, which they consider "libellous".
A letter of demand, usually sent by lawyers, contains a list of demands. If the recipients - in this case, Bloomberg and the other three media outlets - do not meet these demands, legal action, such as a lawsuit, may follow.
CNA has contacted Bloomberg about the POFMA order and letter of demand sent by the two ministers.
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The correction order, also handed out to The Edge Singapore, The Independent Singapore and The Online Citizen, relates to articles and posts made by the publications about Good Class Bungalow (GCBs) transactions, said the Ministry of Law in a press release.
Bloomberg published the Dec 12 article, titled Singapore Mansion Deals Are Increasingly Shrouded in Secrecy, on its website. It was reposted on Bloomberg's Facebook and X accounts. The article was republished in full by The Edge Singapore on its website on the same day, and reposted on its Facebook account.
The Independent Singapore and The Online Citizen also published articles, commenting on the original Bloomberg piecem, on their websites on Dec 12, and subsequently reposted their articles on their respective social media pages.
The four publications will be required to carry correction notices against the articles and posts, which state that the said articles or posts communicated false statements of fact and provide a link to the Government’s clarification, said the ministry.
"This will allow readers to read both versions and draw their own conclusions."
A check by CNA on Monday at about 1.20pm showed that articles by The Edge Singapore and The Independent Singapore are no longer online.
FALSEHOODS: SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT
According to the government's fact-checking website, Factually, Bloomberg's false statements "attack the transparency of property transactions in Singapore".
The Bloomberg article, according to Factually, falsely claimed that there are no publicly available government records of GCB sale transactions if caveats are not lodged, and that the identity of the ultimate beneficial owner need not be disclosed to the government.
It also claimed that GCB property transactions "can be carried out without any checks by the government on the identities of the ultimate beneficial owners" and that "primary responsibility to combat money laundering in property transactions is left to property agents and other service providers".
The article also claimed that there is "no publicly available government record of the GCB transaction if no caveat is lodged and no requirement to disclose to the government the identity of the ultimate beneficial owner in a trust arrangement or shell company", which allow parties "to transact such properties in a way facilitative of money laundering".
"Together, these falsehoods give the impression that Singapore does not have a robust legal framework to require disclosure of information to the government in GCB transactions, which may allow wrongdoing to take place undetected. It is in the public interest that these falsehoods are addressed so that public confidence in the government is not undermined," said Factually.
LEGAL ACTION BY MINISTERS NAMED IN ARTICLE
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng jointly said on Dec 16 they were taking legal action against Bloomberg and other media outlets for publishing statements over their property transactions.
Both ministers added they would issue letters of demand in relation to the article, which they consider "libellous".
A letter of demand, usually sent by lawyers, contains a list of demands. If the recipients - in this case, Bloomberg and the other three media outlets - do not meet these demands, legal action, such as a lawsuit, may follow.
CNA has contacted Bloomberg about the POFMA order and letter of demand sent by the two ministers.
Continue reading...