States Times Review will refuse to remove the alleged offending article. If the Singaporean Prime Minister is adamant on being innocent, he or his acting proxies, i.e. Monetary Authority of Singapore and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), is welcomed to file a case with the Australian authorities.
The website has also received an email threat from the IMDB, stating that the website should take down the content or face an access block.
You may view the letter here in full:
9 November 2018
Mr Alex Tan
Editor
States Times Review
statestimesreview@gmail.comDear Mr Tan
NOTICE TO REMOVE ARTICLE ON THE STATES TIMES REVIEW (“STR”)
It has come to the attention of the Info-communications Media Development
Authority (“IMDA”) that an article published on the STR website
(www.statestimesreview.com) (the “Website”), “Lee Hsien Loong becomes 1MDB’s
key investigation target” (the “Article”), contains material that is fake and libellous.
These include allegations that:
(a) PM Lee had “secret deals” and “unfair agreements” with Malaysia’s
former PM Najib Razak, such as the Singapore-Malaysia High Speed
Rail and the water sale agreement, “in exchange for Singapore banks’
assistance in money laundering 1MDB funds”;
(b) Singapore was “forced” to reopen the 1MDB investigation after the new
government was voted in; and
(c) PM Lee refused to be interviewed by the Malaysian government as part
of the 1MDB investigation.Singapore’s High Commission in Malaysia has stated categorically that the Article is
“fake news and clearly libellous”. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has also
issued a statement to clarify that the article in the States Times Review is baseless
and defamatory. Accordingly, IMDA believes the Article undermines public confidence
in the integrity of the Singapore Government, and is therefore objectionable on
grounds of public interest. Such material constitutes prohibited material under the
Internet Code of Practice issued by the IMDA.
In this regard, IMDA hereby requests STR to remove the Article from the Website by
5 pm on 9 November 2018 (Singapore Time).
IMDA requires STR to keep the contents of this Notice confidential. Publication of this
Notice will be deemed an aggravating factor warranting further regulatory action from
IMDA.
Kindly acknowledge receipt of this email.
Thank you.
Yours sincerelyWang Chee Yann
Director (Broadcast, Internet, Publications and Arts)
Content & Standards
for Chief Executive Officer
Info-communications Media Development Authority
States Times Review responded as follow (explicit content warning):
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The website will refuse to bow down to the dictatorship’s draconian censorship order or accept any arbitrary order naming any content as “fake news”. I will wear the ban and the falsified charges as a badge of honour.
Singaporeans should not be afraid of the truth or impugn their integrity bowing to legalised corruptions and threats.
Alex Tan
STR Editor