SINGAPORE - A police report has been filed against former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng for controversial comments he made online about killing the children of terrorists.
The report, made by People's Power Party (PPP) organising secretary Augustin Lee Tze Shih on Monday (Dec 14), said Mr Cheng's comments contravened the Sedition Act.
The police said that more than one report has been lodged, and that investigations are ongoing.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Dec 16), the PPP said Mr Cheng "has caused enmity and hatred from the terrorists group (sic) that he threatened to hurt and kill them."
"As Calvin is a public figure, an ex-parliamentarian and an esteemed figure who sits on the Media Literacy Council, his words will therefore carry more weight and will allow potential terrorists to think that his views represent the views of our country. This provocation potentially put our country in grave danger of terrorists' attacks and will have infringed the Internal Security Act."
Mr Cheng had, on Nov 17, made a comment that appeared on a thread on the Facebook page of Mr Devadas Krishnadas, chief executive officer of the Future-Moves Group.
The four-line post by Mr Cheng seemed to advocate killing the children of terrorists "in case they grow up to take revenge," and was met with fierce debate online.
He apologised to fellow members of the Media Literacy Council - which advises the Government on developments pertaining to the Internet and media - as well as to the Media Development Authority and his supporters in a Facebook post on Nov 28.
The apology came hours after the Council issued a statement which said that Mr Cheng's comments , although insensitive, did not amount to hate speech.
Mr Lee told The Straits Times that he filed the report almost a month after Mr Cheng made his comments because he and his party colleagues had "expected Calvin to recant his statement, but he did not".
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng added of Mr Cheng: "His words are an upheaval of our concept of the rule of law - only a criminal is responsible for his crime, not his family, and much less children."
"His type of advocacy is very dangerous. If what he wants is a discussion, then we should put him and the system on trial. That is why after much consideration, one of our party members decided to file a report," he added.
When asked about the report, Mr Cheng said he had no comment.
