The Singapore authorities has blocked access to a new anti-establishment website, Singapore Herald.

Visitors from Singapore will see a message informing them that the site cannot be reached when it is accessed.

In two Facebook posts on Saturday morning, Dec. 15, Singapore Herald claimed that the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) had blocked the site as of Dec. 14 and had before that requested for eight articles to be taken down.

IMDA statement

In response to Mothership.sg queries, an IMDA spokesperson confirmed the site has been blocked from Singapore access.

The statement said:

“IMDA has issued a Notice to the Editor of Singapore Herald to take down eight articles published between Dec. 6 to 12, 2018. The eight articles are:

“Minister Khaw Boon Wan threaten Malaysia with armed forces over Johor Straits” [6 December 2018]

“Minister Khaw Boon Wan draw new Singapore map to provoke Malaysia” [7 December 2018]

“Minister Masagos Zulkifli: Singaporeans are united against Malaysia” [8 December 2018]

“Minister Chan Chung threaten military actions: “Accidents” can happen” [9 December 2018]

“Singaporeans should not rally behind wrongdoers out of nationalism” [9 December 2018]

“US$600 billion oil trade route behind Singapore’s aggression” [10 December 2018]

“Law Minister K Shanmugam backstab: Malaysia will be responsible for ‘untoward situations’” [11 December 2018]

“Minister Heng Swee Keat: Singaporeans should ‘unite’ behind government against Malaysia” [12 December 2018]

These articles blatantly misrepresent Singapore’s position in the ongoing situation with the Malaysian government. Such false statements, especially the use of emotionally charged phrases like “threaten” and “provoke”, might stoke feelings of ill will against Singapore, and undermine both sides’ efforts to resolve the situation peacefully.

IMDA therefore finds the said articles to be objectionable on grounds of public interest, and constitute prohibited material under the Internet Code of Practice.

As the Editor of Singapore Herald has declined to take down the articles by the stipulated deadline, IMDA has directed the Internet Service Providers to restrict access to the website.”

In response to follow up questions, IMDA provided Mothership.sg with a timeline of the site being blocked:

IMDA issued the notice at 10am on Dec. 14 (Singapore time), which requested for the eight articles to be taken down at 4pm on the same day.

IMDA letter

Singapore Herald also put up on the website the letter that IMDA sent to the editor.

The eight articles IMDA requested to be removed are about the recent Singapore-Malaysia territorial dispute, which IMDA said collectively "contain serious and egregious misrepresentations of Singapore's position in the ongoing situation with the Malaysian government".

Refused to comply

In response to the request, Singapore Herald responded by saying it refused to comply.

The website also said: "We are well aware that Singapore ISPs have issued a geo-block on the website."

It then said it will continue publication as usual and urged visitors from Singapore to visit the site using alternative methods.

Website inaccessible

Attempts to access the Singapore Herald site on Saturday evening, Dec. 15, was unsuccessful.

But the blocked site does not carry the statement previously put up when a previous anti-establishment website States Times Review was blocked by IMDA:

About Singapore Herald

STR was founded by Alex Tan, a Singaporean residing in Australia.

After STR was blocked by the authorities on Nov. 9, Singapore Herald was started within days with the alleged help of Alex Tan.

Tan previously said he is not involved in Singapore Herald other than setting it up and that its new founder is in Canada.

But there has been no evidence presented for his claims.