Activist issued correction direction over online post

Activist Gilbert Goh has been issued a correction direction under Singapore's fake news law over a Facebook post he made last month about a woman and her partner who purportedly needed financial assistance urgently but had no one to turn to for help.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said Mr Goh's post gave the false impression that the woman and her partner had not received any help from the authorities.

MSF said the woman, whom it referred to as Madam A, and her partner have been receiving social assistance from the ministry and other agencies, such as the Agency for Integrated Care and THK Family Service Centre @ MacPherson, and that Madam A had not contacted it for further help before Mr Goh's post was published on April 24.

The ministry said Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli had instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act Office to issue a correction direction to Mr Goh, which requires him to carry a correction notice alongside his post.

Mr Goh had added the correction to his post as at yesterday morning.

On April 24, Mr Goh posted on Facebook an appeal he purportedly received from "A", who claimed that she and her husband were both ill and in "desperate need" of adult diapers, transport and food as their savings had run out. "I need help urgently and there is no one I can turn to here," the post said.

MSF said Madam A has been receiving monthly ComCare assistance from the ministry since June 2015.

Her monthly payout has also been increased from this month.

MSF added that Madam A's partner has also been receiving ComCare assistance for various periods since June 2015.

The financial assistance that the pair are currently receiving from MSF and other agencies amounts to more than $2,000 each month, it said. This includes cash, rental assistance, assistance for service and conservancy charges, utility assistance and public healthcare assistance.

"The false statement in Goh's post gives the impression that MSF and other agencies are not aware of, or are not doing anything about, Madam A's situation. This is not the case, and it is important to set the facts straight," the ministry said.

"Such false statements erode public trust and lead to misunderstanding about the support and assistance being extended to needy families by MSF and other agencies."

MSF said people who come across those who require financial help can call the ComCare hotline on 1800-222-0000 or approach the nearest social service office or family service centre.