Parliamentary Replies

Parliamentary Question by Mr Leon Perera:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance with regard to the POFMA correction direction issued to several parties on the compensation paid to the CEO of Temasek Holdings on 19 April 2020, how does the subject statement harm the public interest as defined in section 4 POFMA. 

Parliamentary Reply by Second Minister for Finance, Ms Indranee Rajah:

1. Mr Speaker, Mr Leon Perera asked for the public interest grounds of the decision of the Minister for Finance to issue four Correction Directions, to a HardwareZone user, The Temasek Review's Facebook page, The Online Citizen's Facebook page and website, and Mr Lim Tean for communicating the falsehood on his Facebook page on 19 April 2020 (“Posts”). 

2. On 29 April 2020, The Online Citizen (TOC) filed an application to the High Court seeking judicial review of the decision to issue the Correction Direction. One of the issues that TOC has raised before the Court relates to the public interest grounds under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). 

3. As this issue is now before the Court, given the specific circumstances of this case, I do not think it is appropriate to answer the question.