Administrators of Facebook group that published doctored newspaper headline make public apology
Five individuals who are administrators of the Facebook group that published a doctored newspaper headline have apologised in compliance with the AGC requirements for committing contempt of court. The original headline of the article said "outdated laws saved" the six City Harvest Church leaders from longer jail sentences. The doctored version said "a PAP lawyer saved them". Photo: Facebook
SINGAPORE — Five individuals who are administrators of the Facebook group that published a doctored newspaper headline have apologised on Tuesday (Feb 13) for contempt of court.
Mr Ong Sooi Eng, Mr Lee Leng Kok, Mdm Ng Kwee Lay, Mdm Tan Siew Tee, and Mr Yap Tze Kiat posted their apology and undertaking in both English and Mandarin on their Facebook group, which has a Chinese name that means “Policy Discussion Forum”.
They did so after the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) wrote to them on Feb 9 as one of their group members, Mr Neo Aik Chau, had published a post on the group that scandalised Singapore’s Court of Appeal, which amounted to contempt of court.
Mr Neo had posted a doctored image that resembled the front page of Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao. Instead of Wanbao’s headline, “Outdated law ‘saved’ the accused from harsher penalties”, the doctored image read: “PAP lawyer ‘saved’ the accused from harsher penalties.” He was making a reference to the high-profile Court of Appeal ruling in favour of the accused persons involved with the City Harvest Church.
The AGC wrote to Mr Neo on Feb 2 as he had, by publishing a Facebook post that made "false and baseless allegations", committed contempt of court. "And in doing so, (the post) had impugned the impartiality and integrity of the Court of Appeal and posed a risk that public confidence in the administration of justice would be undermined," said the AGC.
Mr Neo made a public apology for his actions last week, admitting to scandalising the court. He made an undertaking not to repeat his actions again in future.
The AGC said the group administrators, too, "are not immune from liability even though they are not the authors of the offending content".
In particular, Mdm Ng had approved Neo’s post, which led to the publication of the offending post. The remaining administrators had also failed to remove it despite being aware of the post, said the AGC spokesperson.
“Administrators of Facebook groups, or any other similar online platforms, are also responsible for the content(s) published on their platforms. They are not immune from liability even though they are not the authors of the offending content(s),” said the AGC spokesperson, adding that all five have therefore committed contempt of court.
On Tuesday, the five group administrators made their public apology.
They wrote: “We, as Administrators and moderators of the Facebook group, unreservedly apologise for scandalising the Court of Appeal by causing publication of the 2 February 2018 Facebook post through Ng approving Neo’s post for publication, and all of us thereafter allowing it to remain on the Facebook group from 2 – 5 February 2018 despite our being aware of its publication on the Facebook group.”
They have since removed the offending content from the Facebook group, their Facebook accounts and all other social media accounts and platforms.
They also made an undertaking that they would not allow any posts that amount to contempt of court to be published on their Facebook group, or be in involved in other acts that would likewise result in contempt of court.
