Speaking at an officer commissioning parade held at SAFTI MI, Education Minister Ng Chee Meng said that fake news on the internet is a threat to the government:
“The threats today are just as real – geopolitical uncertainties, the terrorism threat, cyber-attacks, misinformation and fake news pose challenges to our security and even unity. The SAF must therefore remain vigilant, adapt and develop capabilities to meet these threats.”
The former Chief of Defence who was unofficially promoted to a Minister through nepotism, did not specify what actions the Singapore Armed Force (SAF) has taken to combat the “threats” he identified.
Earlier in March, the ruling party government announced that the army will create a new division that is alleged to deal with “cyber-attacks”. However the real motive of the new SAF division is to create propaganda material to garner support for the conscription system.
Read: Singapore army to pay for 2,600 keyboard warriors to shore up propaganda effort
When it comes to fake news, the government’s state media is ironically ranked 154th for credibility and independence. There is no independent newspaper companies in Singapore and media development in the Lee Hsien Loong dictatorship is still at best communist-level, similar that of North Korea and China.
The Singapore government has in essence become a military junta, with 6 full Ministers – Chan Chun Sing, Tan Chuan Jin, Ng Chee Meng, Teo Chee Hean, Ng Eng Hen and Lee Hsien Loong – being military personnel. Despite lacking experience and screwing up their ministries, former Brigadier General Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong prefers army personnel because they are subservient.