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Yaacob criticises haze rumour-mongers

SINGAPORE — Citing examples such as a prominent blogger who had posted a false rumour and an unknown individual who had doctored a screenshot of the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday criticised the actions of a minority in the online community while praising the efforts of many who had harnessed the Internet to help others during the haze crisis.

Singapore: Haze seen from Sin Ming Avenue as at 4pm, 19 April 2013. Photo: Ernest Chua.

Singapore: Haze seen from Sin Ming Avenue as at 4pm, 19 April 2013. Photo: Ernest Chua.

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SINGAPORE — Citing examples such as a prominent blogger who had posted a false rumour and an unknown individual who had doctored a screenshot of the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday criticised the actions of a minority in the online community while praising the efforts of many who had harnessed the Internet to help others during the haze crisis.

Dr Yaacob was responding to questions filed by Sembawang GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Vikram Nair, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng and Nominated MP Tan Su Shan, who asked about the Media Literacy Council’s (MLC) effectiveness as a watchdog and the Government’s efforts to ensure Singaporeans receive accurate and timely information during crisis situations, while preventing the spread of false information and hoaxes.

Dr Yaacob cited Mr Ravi Philemon, the Executive Director of a charitable organisation and a member of the National Solidarity Party, who “alleged that his unnamed friend said that nine million masks will be brought into Singapore but none will be for the public”. The minister pointed out that the comment — which was posted by Mr Philemon on his Facebook page — was made “even as the Singapore Armed Forces and People’s Association staff and grassroots volunteers were working hard” to distribute one million masks to households.

He said: “The idea of an Internet Code of Conduct was rejected by prominent members of the online community like Mr Ravi Philemon, and even the formation of the Media Literacy Council was greeted with scepticism. Yet, when public anxiety was highest during the days when the haze was at its worst, where were these prominent members of the online community who believed that the Internet should be left alone? Were they helping to clarify and reject online rumours, or were they helping to spread them or even create them?”

Other examples of irresponsible online behaviour: When the National Environment Agency (NEA) updated its three-hour PSI reading at 10pm on June 19 to 321, an unknown individual circulated an altered screenshot alleging that the NEA had initially reported the figure as 393. “This was a calculated and mischievous act, intended to undermine public confidence in the NEA,” the minister said.

The Real Singapore website also published an article which was falsely attributed to Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. “An unknown individual had impersonated Ms Irene Ng to comment on the Government and Singaporeans’ reactions to the haze. It later emerged that even that article was plagiarised from another netizen’s Facebook comment,” Dr Yaacob said.

He said the Government has taken active steps to rebut rumours. During the haze crisis, it set up a haze microsite called Cut Through the Haze, which addressed rumours while educating the public on the situation. “For more generic issues, we have the Factually microsite on the gov.sg website. We have received positive feedback on such initiatives, and will continue in this endeavour,” the minister said.

Nevertheless, Dr Yaacob also noted that during the haze crisis, many came forward to provide crowdsourcing apps to locate shops where masks were available, or to share air-conditioned rooms with those who did not have them. Mr Jeremy Chua also set up a Facebook page, SG Haze Rescue, which called for the donation of excess masks. “They show that there are many good-hearted Singaporeans who know how to harness the Internet positively,” the minister said.

When contacted, Mr Philemon said that the comment “was not fabricated by me” but was from someone else.

He added that when the PSI reading hit a historic high of 401, he called a few large pharmacies in Johor Bahru to check if they had any stock of N95 masks and travelled to one of them to buy some to distribute to those who needed them most.

He said: “Most bloggers ... do support the Government in their efforts to address the problem of haze ... But as a blogger, I feel that it is also my responsibility to highlight at least some of the feelings and sentiments of the general public.”

He added that bloggers “can only comment on what they know”. “So instead of pointing fingers, perhaps the Government should engage the blogging community more to disseminate some of this information, especially in a crisis, to the general public.”

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