MalaysiaNow website blocked in Singapore after refusal to comply with Pofma order

The Government has issued an order to block Malaysian news site MalaysiaNow from being accessed in Singapore, after it "rejected" carrying correction directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo directed the Infocomm Media Development Authority to issue access blocking orders requiring internet service providers to disable access to the website on Monday (Nov 17), two days after the issuance of the Pofma order.

The correction order concerns a Nov 9 article which alleged mistreatment in the case of Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, who was executed on Oct 8 for drug trafficking.

The article contains five falsehoods, said the Ministry of Home Affairs on Nov 15, and the Pofma order requires the Malaysian news site to include correction notices on the falsehoods alongside the article on its website and its Facebook, X and LinkedIn posts.

In a response published on Nov 15, MalaysiaNow criticised Pofma and the Singapore government and said it will not comply with the order.

Editor Abdar Rahman Koya said in a statement: "We do not take instructions from our own government; what makes them think we would take instructions from them?

"We reject this notice, and we will include this statement instead in all links mentioned by the Pofma notice."

The Digital Development and Information and Home Affairs ministries said in a joint statement on Monday that the correction direction (CD) enables readers in Singapore to read both versions and make their own assessment about the matter.

"Despite reminders sent to MalaysiaNow to comply with the CD, MalaysiaNow has not complied. These are not actions that would be taken by any responsible media outlet with journalistic integrity," it stated.

Separately, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong has instructed the Pofma Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta, LinkedIn and X on Monday.

The online social platforms will be required to communicate a correction notice to all users in Singapore who had accessed, or will access, the posts by MalaysiaNow.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com