Correction directions issued to three people, Facebook page for posting screenshot, linking to TOC article on ‘10m population’ plan

SINGAPORE — The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) Office has been instructed to issue correction directions to several Facebook users and a Facebook page for communicating a falsehood related to a purported “10 million population” plan.

The Facebook users were identified as “Ryann Smith”, “Jafri Basron” and “Denise Fletcher”, while the Facebook page was identified to be the “Sin Rak Sin Party”.

They had posted screenshots of, or linked to, an article first published by The Online Citizen which contained a false statement that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has released a plan “to build underground infrastructure ready for 10 million population”.

In a statement on Friday (July 3), the Pofma Office said the instruction to issue the correction directions was given by the alternate authority for the minister responsible for matters related to the National Population and Talent Division.

The Pofma Office said that the Government has clarified Singapore’s population plans on multiple occasions. 

• In Parliament in March 2018, when it projected Singapore’s total population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030

• In two Factually articles — ‘What is the aim of Government population policies?’ published on March 4, and 'Does the Government have a population target e.g. 10 million?’ published on July 1. 

Factually, a government fact-checking website, debunked the allegations in an article. The website said that the allegations were false because the Government “has not proposed, planned nor targeted for Singapore to increase its population to 10 million”.

It added that the Singapore Government does not have any population target and that URA’s underground plans are not meant to serve any population target.

As background, Factually wrote that the underground plans aim to make more effective use of Singapore’s subterranean spaces.

“Moving infrastructure, utilities and storage facilities underground would free up surface land for more green and public spaces, as well as for people-centric uses that would improve the living environment for all Singaporeans,” it wrote.

Factually reiterated that the Government has clarified Singapore’s population plans on multiple occasions, be it in Parliament in March 2018, in two other Factually articles, as well as in a media statement issued by the NPTD earlier this month.

Factually said that the NPTD’s media statement also stated that the publication of such falsehoods damages the public interest by undermining legitimate and honest discussion, and that appropriate action may be taken against any further publication of such falsehoods.

“Despite the latest clarification, the falsehood continues to be repeated,” the Factually article said.