Janil Puthucheary, Tan Kiat How warn against doctored image which shows them endorsing 'Sugar Friends Tea'

SINGAPORE — Two political office holders warned on Sunday (July 10) against falling prey to fake advertisements, after they appeared in a doctored photograph that promoted a food and beverage product.

In separate Facebook posts, Senior Ministers of State Dr Janil Puthucheary and Tan Kiat How said advertisers had doctored a picture of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony in May.

"As a practice, government officials do not endorse products," said Dr Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Health, Communication and Information.

"Stay alert and do not fall prey to such fake advertising," added Mr Tan, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development.

The original photograph had featured them and other people holding signed MOU documents that supported girls studying in the tech field.

Dr Puthucheary told TODAY that he was notified of the altered image on Saturday, and that the photo appeared in a YouTube advertisement for a product called "Sugar Friends Tea". 

Instead of documents, the people in the photograph were digitally manipulated such that they appear to be holding up boxes of tea.

The advertisement also claimed that the product is able to lower one's blood sugar levels, and that it is approved for sale by the Health Ministry.

Dr Puthucheary said that he was unable to access any of the web links featured in the advertisement. Attempts by TODAY to access the links in the advertisement led to a website unrelated to the product. 

He added that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is looking into the matter. TODAY has reached out to IMDA for comment.

This is not the first time faked photographs or articles of Singapore politicians are used to promote products and services.

In April this year, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung was featured in a doctored photo showing him endorsing "certain medical products". 

In 2019, a website soliciting bitcoin investments had used fabricated comments attributed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to promote its products.