Update, June 9, 2020, 12:55pm: The Singapore police have updated their previous statement to include the detail that the arrested man is a Singapore Permanent Resident. This article has been amended to reflect that update.

The Singapore police have arrested a 19-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident Chinese male for his suspected involvement in inciting violence and posting comments with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings on social media.

Between June 7 and 8, 2020, the police received many reports regarding an Instagram user who had posted insensitive comments and threats that could incite violence against a group of people.

The posts also contained hate comments that could wound religious feelings.

Through investigations, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identity of the youth and arrested him on June 8, 2020.

A laptop, a computer and a mobile handphone were seized.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Anyone convicted of the offence of making a document containing incitement to violence is liable to be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to five years, or a fine, or both.

The offence of posting comments with deliberate intent to wound religious or racial feelings of any person carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, or a fine, or both.

The police will not condone any acts that threaten racial and religious harmony in Singapore.

Any person who makes remarks that can cause ill-will and hostility between the different races and religions will be dealt with swiftly and firmly.