Kenneth Jeyaretnam 'seriously ill' in the UK, unable to return to S'pore for investigations

Kenneth Jeyaretnam said in a Facebook post on Jul. 6, 2024 that he is in the UK, has been "seriously ill", and is unable to fly back to Singapore.

The Reform Party leader was issued an eighth correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

Jeyaretnam is under further investigations from both the POFMA Office and the Singapore Police Force, according to a Ministry of Finance (MOF) press release on Jul. 4, 2024.

Unable to fly from the UK to Singapore due to medical condition: Jeyaretnam

Due to his medical conditions, he is currently unable to fly long haul to attend interviews in Singapore, Jeyaretnam said in his post, but he has "made himself available by email."

The MOF press release added that Jeyaretnam has remained "out of jurisdiction" and has not made himself available to assist in investigations by attending any interviews, despite having been in contact with agencies since April 2024.

Jeyaretnam's Facebook post

Jeyaretnam said in his post on Jul. 6, 2024 that he is in "plain sight" and "not in hiding."

He elaborated on his medical conditions, which include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a bilateral pulmonary embolism, and was previously suffering from pneumonia.

DVT is a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg, while a bilateral pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to the lungs.

He said that due to his medical status, he is unable to fly from the UK to Singapore.

Jeyaretnam posted two email screenshots along with the Facebook post. He indicated that he was "under medical care and treatment in London" and was "unable to fly".

Communicated with the agencies: Jeyaretnam

Jeyaretnam said that upon receiving the "respective invitations" from the agencies, he communicated with them and "RSVPd within the timeframe given."

He said he provided a "full explanation of [his] situation" and assisted to the best of his ability.

Jeyaretnam claimed he received no response to his replies, "not even an acknowledgment."

He further claimed that "at no point" did he receive any communication "obliging" or "ordering" him to attend.

He added that the agencies did not suggest alternatives and suggested his own, saying a "reasonable arrangement" could be an interview by Zoom or at the Singapore High Commission in London.

He also attends to appeal the POFMA correction direction.

You can read his post in full below:

"We do not know the specific nature of the medical situation": SPF and POFMA office

Following Jeyaretnam's Jul. 6 post, SPF and the POFMA office issued a joint statement on Jul. 10.

"In response to media queries, we note Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s Facebook post on 6 July 2024.

We do not know the specific nature of the medical situation and are unable to comment on it. Mr Jeyaretnam did not provide any details to agencies about his condition, prior to what he has publicly stated in his Facebook post.

Mr Jeyaretnam will know that like everyone else under investigation, he should make himself available in Singapore to assist with the investigations. The Criminal Procedure Code 2010 governs how investigations are conducted.

We look forward to Mr Jeyaretnam giving us an assessment of the time he will need to be away, so that the authorities can consider the appropriate next steps in the investigations."

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Top photo via Kenneth Jeyaretnam/Facebook