SINGAPORE — The Reform Party (RP) has apologised for the tone of some of the recent posts on its Facebook page, including one which charged that People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Koh Poh Koon was “arrogant” because he did not stop to say “hello” when he walked past party Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam as the latter was being interviewed by the media at the Nomination Centre on Wednesday.

In an apology posted on its Facebook page yesterday, the RP clarified that Dr Koh and Mr Jeyaretnam “did shake hands at the Nomination Centre earlier that day”. The RP added: “It is an election and people can get a bit overheated in the excitement.”

While on their respective campaign trails yesterday, the pair shook hands and exchanged pleasantries when they bumped into each other at the food court in Rivervale Mall.

Mr Jeyaretnam also told reporters that his family had received threats online. “We have received (warnings) tantamount to death threats and there are comments attacking my son, and even that something awful will happen to my wife and son, on Facebook and Twitter,” he said.

Mr Jeyaretnam said that he is currently seeking legal advice and has not made a police report. He plans to call a press conference today on the issue.

While the episode has been “very upsetting” for his 16-year-old son, Jared, Mr Jeyaretnam said he was “not worried” about the threats. He said: “I think these are people who are too scared to come out (from) behind the keyboard.”

Turning his attention to the municipal issues in Punggol East, Mr Jeyaretnam said he was not ready to reveal more details about his proposed five-year plan for the constituency. On how he would be funding the plan, he said that “there are certain things we can do without a lot of money”, such as legal aid clinics and homework clubs.

Mr Jeyaretnam also agreed with Workers’ Party candidate Lee Li Lian’s call for more feeder bus services in Punggol East to ease the load on the estate’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) services. He added that he believed there should be more competition in the public transport industry.

He said: “I think that more competition would be good, that’s why we’ve called for as much competition to be introduced into the transport system as possible. I understand the bus companies are calling for fare increases but I think we should examine whether we can accomplish more by tendering and allowing our private operators, perhaps, to enter.”

Mr Jeyaretnam said his party has been “at the forefront of calling for change and democracy”. “The RP was set up not for people who like the current system or have benefited from it, but for the bulk of Singaporeans who have been left behind,” he added.