1. The Minister for Home Affairs and for Law has rejected an application (the “Application”) by the Singapore Democratic Party (“SDP”) to vary the Correction Direction issued to them on 29 June 2024 (the “CD”). The SDP had complied with the CD on 29 June 2024.
2. Now, more than 9 months later, on 7 April 2025, the SDP submitted the Application. It explained in an accompanying statement that this was to raise issues “ahead of the General Election”.
3. The CD was issued in response to posts published by the SDP on its Facebook (FB), Instagram (IG) and TikTok pages on 27 and 28 June 2024. These posts contained false statements, to the effect that:
(a) three women were prosecuted for organising support for a cause (the “First Statement”); and
(b) the Government, and a Minister, prosecuted the three women because they had expressed views that the Government did not agree with (the “Second Statement”).
4. The SDP’s statements are false. The three women were charged under Section 15(1) of the Public Order Act 2009 (“POA”), for organising a procession in the vicinity of the Istana. The Istana is a prohibited area designated under Section 12 of the POA and the Public Order (Prohibited Areas) Order. Processions are not allowed in such places.
5. The SDP has appealed for the First Statement to be set aside in the CD on the basis that their posts did not contain the First Statement. The SDP does not appeal against the Second Statement in the Application, which appears to suggest that the SDP agrees that the statement it made was false. Having carefully considered the Application, the Minister for Home Affairs and for Law has assessed that there is no merit to the Application, and has rejected it. The SDP has been notified of the Minister’s decision.
