Pofma correction directions issued to platforms linked to Peoples Voice over statements on Govt spending on foreign students

SINGAPORE — Both the Facebook page of the Peoples Voice political party and the YouTube channel of its chief Lim Tean are being issued with correction directions by the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) Office over a claim about government spending on foreign students.

The alternate authority for the Minister for Education  —  a senior civil servant standing in for the minister during the General Election campaign  —  had instructed the Pofma Office to issue the notices, the Pofma Office said in a media statement on Thursday (July 2).

They related to a Facebook ‘live’ video posted on the Peoples Voice Facebook page on Wednesday. The video was then posted on the YouTube channel “Team Lim”.

The Pofma office said that Mr Lim, the secretary general of the Peoples Voice party, had previously been issued with a correction direction in December last year for “false statements on the same topic”.

Factually, a government fact-checking website, debunked the latest allegations in an article on Thursday.

“Mr Lim Tean states that ‘we spend a quarter of a billion dollars providing free education for foreigners every year’,” the website read.

“This is false and misleading. The Ministry of Education (MOE) does not spend a quarter of a billion dollars to provide free education for foreigners every year.”

Factually added that while MOE spends about S$238 million on foreign students a year as stated in a parliamentary reply on Aug 5 last year, “the significant majority of these students are still required to pay fees higher than those of local students or (have to) fulfil a bond obligation after graduation’’.

This is the second Pofma order issued under an alternate authority — the first being the one issued on Monday by the alternate authority for the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

After Parliament was dissolved ahead of the July 10 GE, ministers were no longer able to issue orders under Pofma.

In their place, senior civil servants were appointed to act as alternate authorities. These are the permanent secretaries of all 16 ministries and a few portfolios under the Prime Minister’s Office who are able to exercise the powers of ministers during the election campaign.