TWO activists are being “extensively investigated” by Singaporean police for writing political-related material online on ‘Cooling Off Day’.
Blogger Roy Ngerng Yi Ling and former lawyer Teo Soh Lung were served with notices on Friday, May 27, informing them to attend a police interview on Monday.
The notices arrived after Singapore police published a press release announcing that an election official, who was not named, filed complaints against them for apparently violating the rules of ‘Cooling Off Day’.
‘Cooling Off Day’ is a day when voters are required to “reflect rationally on issues raised during the election” on the eve of Polling Day, according to Singapore’s Election Department.
All political parties and candidates are prohibited from posting election material or campaigning on this day. The police report filed against Ngerng and Teo accused them of posting material that promoted certain candidates.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Teo described how police visited her home repeatedly through the weekend to ensure she received the notice and would attend the interview.
She said: “Is this an abuse of our police force? Why are they tasked to perform the work of postmen? Or are they deployed to intimidate a law abiding citizen?”
According to The Online Citizen (TCO), police escorted both activists back to their homes after interviewing them at the Cantonment Police Station, and searched their houses without search warrants.
SEE ALSO: Singapore election candidates escape with warning for Facebook comments
The police reportedly told Teo a search warrant was not necessary because they were conducting it while she was under investigation.
TCO also reported that police confiscated Teo’s laptop and phone during her interview and would not return the items to her although she did not deny making the post in question. Police threatened to take action against Teo’s friends, who argued with them, if they were to “obstruct the course of duty”.
Ngerng expressed sadness upon receiving his notice for the investigation, saying he had “no anger and no hatred” but instead despaired that “the justice that we believed in is becoming lost in the hands of those who seek to wield power”.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) condemned the police action, saying the Election Department did not file complaints against candidates from the People’s Action Party, Singapore’s ruling party, when they posted by-election material during previous elections.
“The SDP reiterates our call for the ELD to function and operate independently from the PMO and for an independent elections commission to be established so that breaches of campaign rules and regulations can be investigated without fear or favor,” the party said in a statement.
The post Singapore: Police probe activists for political comments on ‘Cooling Off Day’ appeared first on Asian Correspondent.
