Chitchat Will posting “I support Chee Soon Juan” on Facebook land you in jail?

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

This one can fight in court with good show.


http://themiddleground.sg/2016/06/02...ook-land-jail/

BBBE: Will posting “I support Chee Soon Juan” on Facebook land you in jail?
Jun 02, 2016 03.33PM | Suhaile M

by Suhaile Md

YOU know by now that news websites, including yours truly, have been told off for contravening election rules during the Bukit Batok by-election. But you wouldn’t have thought the rules applied to individuals too. Police have started investigating posts put up by civil society activists Teo Soh Lung and Roy Ngerng which they said amounted to election advertising.

Both have been interviewed by police and have had their electronic devices seized. They’re not keeping quiet about it, going by the noise on social media, including a video posted on Facebook by late Tuesday night (May 31). It showed five to seven policemen who turned up at Ms Teo’s house earlier that day at around 2pm.

What’s interesting is that this seems to be the first time individuals are being investigated for breaching the Parliamentary Elections Act, that prohibits advertising and political propaganda on Cooling Off Day and Polling Day.

Now remember the intent of the prohibition: It’s to prevent people from getting all riled up to the time they reach the polling booth. A breather would help them vote wisely, so goes the rationale when Cooling Off Day was introduced in the lead up to the General Elections in 2011.

The Act does not allow any election advertising whether it’s on the Internet or through text messages. Canvassing, house visits, displaying political symbols, politically branded items like flags or badges are also prohibited. This does not apply to advertising that has already been displayed before the start of Cooling Off Day. Those convicted of the offence face fines of up to $1,000 and/or jail for up to 12 months.

Note, however, that MSM is exempted from publishing or broadcasting reports of what happened the day before. This means that it’s fine that The Straits Times wrote a story on the rally that took place the night before. It has to be a news report though, not a commentary.

But it seems the G hasn’t caught up with the times – or online news sites would have been included. This means to be on the safe side, online news sites should get all their reporting done by the stroke of midnight.

Individuals can also share their “personal political views” with other individuals on a non-commercial basis whether it’s on the Internet or telephone.

Here’s the sticking point: Is the sharing of personal political views tantamount to election advertising?

According to the Act, election advertising can refer to any material that intends to promote the electoral success or enhance the standing of any candidate or political parties. Notably, “such material shall be election advertising even though it can reasonably be regarded as intended to achieve any other purpose as well”.

So what did Ms Teo do on May 6, Cooling Off Day, that disturbed the Elections Department (ELD) so much that it filed a police report against her?

A note comparing the television coverage between SDP and PAP on Channel News Asia news. She wrote: “I had expected rather naively, that both the PAP and the SDP would be given equal air time. That was not the case.” The post garnered 29 shares and 33 reactions.

Read more at: http://themiddleground.sg/2016/06/02...ook-land-jail/


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