Terry Xu & TOC publisher issued POFMA order over claims about govt response to S'poreans allegedly serving in IDF

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered the POFMA office to issue a correction direction to Terry Xu and The Online Citizen's publisher, Miao Yi Infotech, over claims made in a Mar. 5 article regarding the government's response to allegations that two Singaporeans had served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during the Gaza conflict.

The article was posted on The Online Citizen's social media accounts and AI-driven media platform, Heidoh.com.

TOC claimed that government reply was incomplete

In a Mar. 26 press release, MHA noted that the Mar. 5 article included allegations that the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam deliberately gave incomplete answers to parliamentary questions on two Singaporeans who allegedly served in the IDF.

In February 2026, media reports suggested that at least one Singaporean participated in the Gaza conflict under the IDF banner.

In parliament on Mar. 5, Shanmugam said MHA had no substantiated information confirming this suggestion, and that it was seeking clarifications but has yet to receive a response from the Israeli government.

TOC's article also claimed that the government is able to identify the Singaporeans involved, but has chosen not to.

It also claimed that the government has not taken action against the Singaporeans in order to preserve diplomatic relations and has not issued correction directions against the claims as they were true.

No substantiated information: MHA

In laying out the facts, MHA reiterated in its press release that the government does not have substantiated information on Singaporeans having served in the IDF and that the Israeli government has yet to respond to the request for information.

"It is therefore false to suggest that the government had specific information beyond the Declassified UK article to act on, or that the government is able to identify the two Singaporeans who were allegedly serving in the IDF during the Gaza conflict," MHA said.

Declassified UK, a UK media outlet, published data on foreigners serving in the IDF on Feb. 11, 2026.

MHA added that it did not issue POFMA directions against Declassified UK or take action against the two Singaporeans who had purportedly served in the IDF as it did not have substantiated information.

25th correction direction to Xu, affiliated publications: MHA

The correction direction requires Xu and Miao Yi Infotech Ltd to insert correction notices relating to the original articles and posts, with a link to the government's clarification.

They are also required to publish a print correction notice in The Straits Times.

The police are also looking into this matter to determine if there are any potential criminal offences arising from the statements made in the article, MHA said.

MHA also noted that this is the 25th correction direction issued to Xu, TOC and other affiliated publications in connection with falsehoods they communicated.

The Mar. 26 correction direction is the second to be issued to Xu, TOC and Miao Yi Infotech within a week.

The publication and publishers were earlier issued a correction direction over articles and posts concerning the appointment of Singapore's Attorney-General.

They were also required to publish a correction notice in print.

TOC later took to Facebook to canvass for funds to defray the cost of this print publication.

Top image via Terry Xu / Facebook, TOC