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SINGAPORE: The Returned Warrant Officer has filed a police report against New Naratif for posting paid advertisements during the recent general election, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Friday (September 18).
ELD said New Naratif ran paid advertisements that amounted to illegal conduct of electoral activities under the Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA).
The Return Warrant Officer had issued three notices to Facebook on July 3, 7 and 8 to remove five unauthorized paid ads posted on his platform by New Naratif, ELD said.
“According to the PEA, carrying out any electoral activity requires a prior written authorization signed by a candidate or his electoral agent,” he said.
READ: GE2020: Unauthorized New Naratif Facebook Ad Removed
Electoral activity includes any activity that is conducted for the purpose of promoting or achieving electoral success in any election for “identifiable” political parties, candidates or groups of candidates, ELD said.
It also includes “prejudging the electoral prospects of other political parties”, candidates or groups of candidates in the election.
“Neither New Naratif nor its representatives or agents were authorized by any candidate or electoral agent in this General Election to carry out electoral activities,” ELD said.
After the first takedown notice was issued to Facebook on July 3, ELD said in a press release that New Naratif was “deemed” to be conducting electoral activities to place paid election advertising on the Internet, and was not authorized to do what.
The statement, which also reminded the public of the regulations, was published by various media outlets, ELD said.
However, on July 4, New Naratif published the takedown decision and continued to run other paid ads, ELD said.
Carrying out electoral activities without the authorization of a candidate or his electoral agent from the start of the campaign period is an offense under the Parliamentary Elections Act, ELD said.
Those convicted can face a fine of up to S $ 2,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both.
