Pofma order issued to TOC editor, publisher over article on Singaporeans serving in IDF
MHA said TOC has “a track record of repeatedly communicating falsehoods”.
PHOTO: Facebook/Terry Xu, The Online Citizen
PUBLISHED ONMarch 26, 2026 1:45 PMBYHelmy Sa'at
The chief editor and publisher of The Online Citizen (TOC) was on Thursday (March 26) issued with a correction direction over false statements in an article about the Government's response to two Singaporeans, who allegedly served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during the Gaza conflict.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam had instructed the Pofma Office — which administers the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) — to issue the correction order to Terry Xu and Miao Yi Infotech, a company in Taiwan that publishes TOC.
This is the 25th correction direction that has been issued in connection with falsehoods communicated by Xu, TOC and other affiliated publications, noted MHA.
MHA said the offending article published on March 5 falsely claimed, among other things, that Shanmugam "deliberately chose to give incomplete answers" in Parliament; that the Government is able to identify the two Singaporeans but chose not to do so; and that no action was taken under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in order to preserve diplomatic relations with Israel.
The article was published on the websites and social media accounts of TOC and the artificial intelligence-driven media platform Heidoh.
Aside from the correction order, MHA said the police is also investigating if there are any offences arising from the statements made in the article.
In its statement, MHA said the Government takes a serious view of the deliberate communication of falsehoods, adding that TOC has "a track record of repeatedly communicating falsehoods".
The ministry noted that the TOC website along with its Facebook, X and Instagram pages were designated as Declared Online Locations under Pofma for the second time in July 2025. The first declaration was made in July 2023 against TOC's website, Facebook, X and LinkedIn pages.
And this is also the 25th correction direction issued in connection with falsehoods communicated by Xu, TOC and other affiliated publications.
Under the order issued on Thursday, Xu and Miao Yi Infotech are required to publish correction notices on TOC's websites, Heidoh's website, TOC's Facebook and Instagram pages, and in The Straits Times.
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