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SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police (SPF) issued a “severe warning” to a man who used the Facebook nickname “Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali” for harassment and fueling racial or religious tensions in several social media posts he made this year.
In a separate statement, police on Thursday (September 17) also said that reports were filed against a netizen using the nickname “Xiaxue”, but that no further action would be taken because “the elements of a crime have not been established. Beyond reasonable. doubt. “
STERN WARNING ISSUED TO THE FACEBOOK USER
A man who used the Facebook nickname “Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali” received a stern warning for three social media posts he made earlier this year.
“The police, in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, issued a stern warning to the man for the crime of making a threatening communication that is likely to cause alarm,” SPF said in a statement.
This offense is covered by the Protection Against Harassment Act. The warning was issued for a social media post on July 5.
The warning was also issued for two additional offenses of promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion or race, SPF said. The crimes were committed in two social media posts on February 8.
In response to CNA inquiries, SPF declined to name the man behind Facebook’s nickname.
The nickname matches that of a Facebook user who claimed to have shared screenshots of the online comments made by the Workers’ Party Member of Parliament, Raeesah Khan, during the general election period.
Police had said on July 7 that they were investigating this individual after reports were filed against him.
Two complaints were also filed against Ms. Khan on July 4 and 5 in connection with comments she had made on social media.
READ: Police issue ‘stern warning’ to Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan for online comments on race and religion
Earlier on Thursday, police said they had issued a stern warning to Ms. Khan for the crime of promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion or race. The warning was issued for two social media posts made by Ms. Khan on February 2, 2018 and May 17, 2020.
The warning was also issued for “an additional offense of contempt by scandalizing the court” for Ms Khan’s post on social media on February 2, 2018.
NO MORE ACTIONS ON REPORTS AGAINST THE BLOGGER ‘XIAXUE’
In a separate statement in response to media inquiries, police confirmed Thursday that the reports were made in connection with online postings by “a netizen using the nickname ‘Xiaxue’.”
Xiaxue is the online nickname of popular blogger and media personality Wendy Cheng.
Reports alleged that the online posts “were intended to hurt religious or racial sentiments and constituted harassment against minorities,” police said.
SPF added: “The police have consulted the Attorney General’s Office, which warned against taking further action in relation to these posts, as the elements of a crime have not been established beyond a reasonable doubt.”
He said the police will not take further action on the matter.
