Progress Singapore Party expels member behind offensive post on NUS Atheist Society Facebook page
Post offensive to Muslims and Christians, says Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam; Facebook blocks Singapore users' access to post
By Tee Zhuo, The Straits Times, 21 Mar 2020
Access to a post deemed offensive to Muslims and Christians has been blocked by Facebook for Singapore users, and the police are now investigating, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday.
Describing the post as "very offensive" to the two religious communities, Mr Shanmugam said on his own Facebook page that the authorities asked the social media platform to disable access to the post here. "We take a serious view of these type of statements," he said. "We highlighted how such offensive remarks have no place in multiracial and multi-religious Singapore."
On Wednesday, the Facebook page named NUS Atheist Society had posted an image of the Bible and Quran, which are holy texts in Christianity and Islam respectively. An accompanying caption read: "For use during toilet paper shortages."
Separately, the page yesterday posted an image of what appears to be a message from Facebook sent at about 10.40am, indicating that access to the page's offending post had been limited in Singapore due to "local legal restrictions".
In a statement the same day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it received a number of complaints about the post.
"(Police) would like to remind members of the public to be mindful when participating in online discussions, and not post any remarks which are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial and religious harmony in Singapore," MHA said. "Online hate speech on race and religion has no place in Singapore."
In a statement on its official Facebook page, the National University of Singapore (NUS) said it is not linked to the NUS Atheist Society or its Facebook page, and the page's contents "do not represent the views, opinions and position" of the university.
NUS added that it had asked Facebook to look into the account's legitimacy on Thursday, as well as last year, but the social media site said the content was not likely to confuse people and it was not able to take action. NUS said it would continue pressing Facebook to get the page to drop all references to NUS.
Before it was blocked to Singapore users, the offending post was criticised by several people on Facebook in their comments.
User Christopher Njo said the page had crossed a line with something that many people treat as holy and sacred, and said he hoped Facebook would remove the post. "It is ignorant and insensitive people like you who cause unnecessary tensions and problems," he said.
Another commenter Alex Lin said the post was inciting hatred.
In a post providing more information on the group dated December 2015, the page, which has about 1,000 followers, said there is no official atheist group in NUS.
It also made reference to Christopher Hitchens, the late prominent British-American intellectual who wrote, among other works, the book God Is Not Great.
The 2015 post also said: "We are open to all who do not profess any belief in gods, as well as to those who are uncertain about their beliefs in the supernatural and wish to hear our side of the argument."
In a statement on its website, the Humanist Society (Singapore) said the post was "neither reasoned nor compassionate" and unhelpful given Covid-19, which affects all regardless of race or religion.
"We would like to encourage productive and rational dialogue during this crisis. We should focus on disseminating facts, providing comfort, and promoting public unity amidst the pandemic."
Post offensive to Muslims and Christians, says Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam; Facebook blocks Singapore users' access to post
By Tee Zhuo, The Straits Times, 21 Mar 2020
Describing the post as "very offensive" to the two religious communities, Mr Shanmugam said on his own Facebook page that the authorities asked the social media platform to disable access to the post here. "We take a serious view of these type of statements," he said. "We highlighted how such offensive remarks have no place in multiracial and multi-religious Singapore."
On Wednesday, the Facebook page named NUS Atheist Society had posted an image of the Bible and Quran, which are holy texts in Christianity and Islam respectively. An accompanying caption read: "For use during toilet paper shortages."
Separately, the page yesterday posted an image of what appears to be a message from Facebook sent at about 10.40am, indicating that access to the page's offending post had been limited in Singapore due to "local legal restrictions".
In a statement the same day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it received a number of complaints about the post.
"(Police) would like to remind members of the public to be mindful when participating in online discussions, and not post any remarks which are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial and religious harmony in Singapore," MHA said. "Online hate speech on race and religion has no place in Singapore."
In a statement on its official Facebook page, the National University of Singapore (NUS) said it is not linked to the NUS Atheist Society or its Facebook page, and the page's contents "do not represent the views, opinions and position" of the university.
NUS added that it had asked Facebook to look into the account's legitimacy on Thursday, as well as last year, but the social media site said the content was not likely to confuse people and it was not able to take action. NUS said it would continue pressing Facebook to get the page to drop all references to NUS.
Before it was blocked to Singapore users, the offending post was criticised by several people on Facebook in their comments.
Another commenter Alex Lin said the post was inciting hatred.
In a post providing more information on the group dated December 2015, the page, which has about 1,000 followers, said there is no official atheist group in NUS.
It also made reference to Christopher Hitchens, the late prominent British-American intellectual who wrote, among other works, the book God Is Not Great.
The 2015 post also said: "We are open to all who do not profess any belief in gods, as well as to those who are uncertain about their beliefs in the supernatural and wish to hear our side of the argument."
In a statement on its website, the Humanist Society (Singapore) said the post was "neither reasoned nor compassionate" and unhelpful given Covid-19, which affects all regardless of race or religion.
"We would like to encourage productive and rational dialogue during this crisis. We should focus on disseminating facts, providing comfort, and promoting public unity amidst the pandemic."
Progress Singapore Party expels member behind NUS Atheist Society offensive Facebook post
Opposition party says it will not tolerate members showing disrespect to any religion
By Fabian Koh, The Sunday Times, 22 Mar 2020
The person behind an offensive Facebook post that is being investigated by the police has been identified as a member of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
He was suspended by the opposition party yesterday morning and, following internal investigations, expelled with immediate effect.
"The party highly values the multiracial and multi-religious society that is Singapore, and will not tolerate any of its members showing disrespect to any religion," the party said in a statement last night.
In a phone interview with The Sunday Times in the afternoon, technology consultant Jan Chan, 30, said he did not have any malicious intent and regrets making the post on Facebook page NUS Atheist Society, which he ran.
His post had shown an image of the Bible and the Quran - holy texts in Christianity and Islam respectively - with the accompanying caption: "For use during toilet paper shortages."
Mr Chan said yesterday: "Yes I regret it. The wording could possibly have been better... The whole intent was definitely not to insult any religion or cause outrage."
The PSP, which is led by former People's Action Party MP Tan Cheng Bock, had made a public statement saying it had decided to suspend Mr Chan's membership with immediate effect. "The Progress Singapore Party is not linked to the NUS Atheist Society," it said.
The party added that it takes the behaviour of all its members very seriously and will "endeavour to ensure that all members keep within the boundaries of the law".
Mr Chan, who graduated from Raffles Junior College and studied mathematics and computer science at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said he received the news of his suspension over the phone yesterday morning, adding that he had not been contacted by the police or NUS.
He was a member of the National Solidarity Party from 2014 to last year, and was its organising secretary before he quit to join the PSP.
He has been seen in photographs taking part in the PSP's first door-to-door home visits in West Coast GRC in January this year.
"I can understand their position, and I feel it's completely reasonable," said Mr Chan of the party's decision to suspend him.
He said the NUS Atheist Society page has been around for six years, and he has been posting memes and provocative content on it. It was started in 2014 when he was still in university, as a protest against the university's decision to reject an application to start a non-religious society.
Mr Chan said he never expected the post to spread to the general public, as that had not happened with previous posts and memes.
"Memes or images of that nature that I posted before have never reached such a level. Even though it's a public page, it's meant for a closer, smaller community."
In a Facebook post on Friday, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam called Mr Chan's post "very offensive" to the two religious communities and said the authorities have asked Facebook to disable access to the post in Singapore. The Home Affairs Ministry said it has received a number of complaints about the post.
Progress Singapore Party suspends membership of man allegedly behind NUS Atheist Society Facebook page
By Wong Pei Ting, TODAY, 21 Mar 2020
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has suspended the membership of a man allegedly behind the NUS Atheist Society Facebook page, which is now the subject of a police investigation, the party said on Saturday (March 21).
Mr Jan Chan, 30, has been in the party’s photos on social media and has walked the ground in the party’s polo shirt.
Before getting involved in PSP, Mr Chan – who studied in Raffles Junior College and the National University of Singapore (NUS) – was the National Solidarity Party’s organising secretary.
In response to TODAY’s queries, the PSP said it will be suspending Mr Chan’s membership with immediate effect, and that he will not participate in any party-sanctioned activities in the meantime.
“His membership is pending internal investigations for actions made in his personal capacity,” the opposition party headed by former People’s Action Party Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock said, adding that “further necessary actions” will be taken once investigations conclude.
Stressing that PSP is not linked to the NUS Atheist Society, the party added: “Progress Singapore Party views the behaviour of all our members very seriously and will endeavour to ensure that all members keep within the boundaries of the law.”
On Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) called on Facebook to disable access to a post by NUS Atheist Society, which depicted the Bible and Quran as alternatives to be used in the event of a toilet-paper shortage. Facebook agreed to do so.
MHA added that the police are investigating the post, which had received a number of complaints.
After Facebook limited access to the post at 10.39am on Friday, NUS Atheist Society posted a screenshot of the notification from the social media platform with the caption: “Thanks for convicting us of thoughtcrime. Therefore, please use these discretely during times of toilet paper crisis.”
The MHA urged the public to be mindful when participating in online discussions and not post any remarks which are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial and religious harmony in Singapore.
“Online hate speech on race and religion has no space in Singapore,” it added.
Separately, the National University of Singapore (NUS) issued a statement on Friday to clarify that the NUS Atheist Society is not affiliated to the university.
It said that it had reported the page to Facebook last year and again on March 19, but Facebook only responded to say that its content "does not appear likely to confuse people as to source, sponsorship or affiliation" and was unable to act.
"We will continue pressing Facebook to get the group to drop all references to NUS," NUS added.
By Wong Pei Ting, TODAY, 21 Mar 2020
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has suspended the membership of a man allegedly behind the NUS Atheist Society Facebook page, which is now the subject of a police investigation, the party said on Saturday (March 21).
Mr Jan Chan, 30, has been in the party’s photos on social media and has walked the ground in the party’s polo shirt.
Before getting involved in PSP, Mr Chan – who studied in Raffles Junior College and the National University of Singapore (NUS) – was the National Solidarity Party’s organising secretary.
In response to TODAY’s queries, the PSP said it will be suspending Mr Chan’s membership with immediate effect, and that he will not participate in any party-sanctioned activities in the meantime.
“His membership is pending internal investigations for actions made in his personal capacity,” the opposition party headed by former People’s Action Party Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock said, adding that “further necessary actions” will be taken once investigations conclude.
Stressing that PSP is not linked to the NUS Atheist Society, the party added: “Progress Singapore Party views the behaviour of all our members very seriously and will endeavour to ensure that all members keep within the boundaries of the law.”
On Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) called on Facebook to disable access to a post by NUS Atheist Society, which depicted the Bible and Quran as alternatives to be used in the event of a toilet-paper shortage. Facebook agreed to do so.
MHA added that the police are investigating the post, which had received a number of complaints.
After Facebook limited access to the post at 10.39am on Friday, NUS Atheist Society posted a screenshot of the notification from the social media platform with the caption: “Thanks for convicting us of thoughtcrime. Therefore, please use these discretely during times of toilet paper crisis.”
The MHA urged the public to be mindful when participating in online discussions and not post any remarks which are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial and religious harmony in Singapore.
“Online hate speech on race and religion has no space in Singapore,” it added.
Separately, the National University of Singapore (NUS) issued a statement on Friday to clarify that the NUS Atheist Society is not affiliated to the university.
It said that it had reported the page to Facebook last year and again on March 19, but Facebook only responded to say that its content "does not appear likely to confuse people as to source, sponsorship or affiliation" and was unable to act.
"We will continue pressing Facebook to get the group to drop all references to NUS," NUS added.
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