The Alternate Authority for the Minister for Foreign Affairs has instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office to issue a Correction Direction to Facebook pages belonging to State News Singapore and Alex Tan.

State News Singapore & Alex Tan issued Correction Direction

This is the first time in which the correction direction was issued by an alternate authority instead of a minister.

During an election period, ministers may appoint public officers to issue orders under POFMA.

Facebook was also issued a targeted correction direction by the alternate authority, said the POFMA office on June 29.

According to the office, the State News Singapore Facebook page had made false statements of fact about cross-border travel arrangements between Singapore and Malaysia in a post published on June 27, 2020.

The post containing the falsehood was also shared by Tan's Facebook page.

Previously, Facebook pages operated by Tan were subjected to Disabling Orders after communicating numerous false statements of fact.

Falsehood clarified by Factually

On June 27, State News Singapore published a Facebook post.

It said: "Despite Lee Hsien Loong personally calling Malaysia Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin requesting Malaysia to open up daily commute, the Malaysian authorities refused to accede to his request."

The alternate authority has clarified that it is untrue.

Government website Factually clarified:

"We wish to clarify that the telephone call between the two Prime Ministers was initiated at the request of Prime Minister Muhyiddin."

"As Prime Minister Muhyiddin has publicly stated, he proposed that the Singapore Government consider a daily cross-border commuting arrangement."

"The Singapore Government is committed to discussing the gradual and phased resumption of cross-border travel with Malaysia, subject to mutually agreed public health protocols, to preserve the public health and safety of citizens of both countries."

"Singapore and Malaysia are working on the Periodic Commuting Arrangement and the Reciprocal Green Lane, and officials on both sides will continue discussions on other proposals to gradually facilitate more cross-border movement of people, while taking into account the medical resources available in both countries."

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Top image via State News Singapore/FB, Alex Tan/FB