# Press Statement on the Issuance of Correction Directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act against Gilbert Goh and The Independent Singapore (TISG) - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2020-02-26T11:02:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/press-statement-on-the-issuance-of-correction-directions-under-the-protection-from-online-falsehoods-and-manipulation-act-against-gilbert-goh-and-the-independent-singapore-(tisg) - **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Commercial & Industrial, Investment & Capital Markets ## Featured rationale Correcting the claims may protect confidence in Singapore’s public-rental system and clarify that housing assistance remains available to households lacking other options. ## AI summary Correction Directions were ordered after posts falsely claimed HDB evicted a family for rental default, when the family had purchased and occupied a fully paid flat. ## Original article The Minister of National Development has instructed the POFMA Office to issue Correction Directions (CD) on: (i) a Facebook post by Gilbert Goh (Goh) (19 Feb 2020), (ii) an article by The Independent Singapore (TISG) on their website (21 Feb 2020), and (iii) a Facebook post by TISG (21 Feb 2020). They will be required to carry a correction notice alongside their posts[1]. Corrections and clarifications regarding falsehoods posted by Gilbert Goh and TISG On 19 February 2020, Goh published a Facebook post alleging that a single mother ‘Lina’ and her six children had been evicted from their rental flat due to rental default, and that they have been staying at her sister’s house. On 21 February 2020, TISG published an article and Facebook post on ‘Lina’ reiterating the same claims, after it approached Goh to obtain more details. The claims listed in both articles are entirely false, for the following reasons: - First, HDB did not evict ‘Lina’ from her rental flat. ‘Lina’ was previously living in a HDB rental flat with her husband and children. The family did not have any overdue rent throughout the period of the last tenancy. ‘Lina’’s husband terminated the tenancy for the rental flat and returned the keys to HDB in early February 2020. - Second, ‘Lina’ and her husband have bought a new flat from HDB, which has been paid for in full. ‘Lina’ and her family have since moved into their new HDB flat. Additional Clarifications When HDB staff visited ‘Lina’ and her husband in their new flat on 22 February 2020, the couple explained that it was a relative who had approached Goh for assistance. ‘Lina’ and her family have been receiving assistance, including cash, vouchers, subsidies and food rations, from various government agencies and community partners – the Ministry of Social Development (MSF), the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), HDB and the Sembawang Family Service Centre. The family also received food rations and supermarket vouchers from their local grassroots organisation. HDB public rental flats cater to needy Singaporean households who have no other housing options and no family support. HDB works closely with other agencies and community partners, such as Social Service Offices and Family Service Centres, to provide support to rental tenants. The false statements reported by Goh and TISG give the impression that HDB has deprived a needy family of public rental housing because of their inability to pay for it. This is not the case and it is important to set the facts straight. [1] Afternote: One Correction Direction was issued to The Independent Singapore with respect to their (i) website and (ii) Facebook page. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 关于根据《防止网络假信息和网络操纵法令》向吴韦材及《独立新加坡》（TISG）发出更正指示的新闻声明 国家发展部部长已指示 POFMA 办公室就以下内容发出更正指示（CD）：（i）吴韦材（Goh）于 2020 年 2 月 19 日发布的 Facebook 帖文，（ii）《独立新加坡》（TISG）于 2020 年 2 月 21 日在其网站刊登的文章，以及（iii）TISG 于 2020 年 2 月 21 日发布的 Facebook 帖文。他们须在相关帖文旁附上更正通知[1]。 有关吴韦材及 TISG 所发虚假信息的更正与澄清 2020 年 2 月 19 日，吴韦材在 Facebook 发帖，指称单身母亲“Lina”及其六名子女因拖欠租金而被逐出租赁组屋，并称他们一直住在其姐姐家中。 2020 年 2 月 21 日，TISG 在联系吴韦材获取更多详情后，在网站刊登文章并在 Facebook 发帖，重复有关“Lina”的相同说法。 两篇文章所列的说法完全属虚假，理由如下： - 第一，建屋发展局（HDB）并未将“Lina”逐出租赁组屋。“Lina”此前与丈夫及子女同住在一间 HDB 租赁组屋。在上一租约期内，该家庭并无任何逾期租金。“Lina”的丈夫于 2020 年 2 月初终止了该租赁组屋的租约，并将钥匙交还给 HDB。 - 第二，“Lina”及其丈夫已向 HDB 购得一间新组屋，并已全额付清。“Lina”及其家人此后已迁入新的 HDB 组屋。 补充澄清 当 HDB 职员于 2020 年 2 月 22 日探访“Lina”及其丈夫在新组屋时，夫妇二人解释，是一位亲戚向吴韦材求助。 “Lina”及其家人一直获得来自多个政府机构及社区伙伴的援助，包括现金、优惠券、津贴及粮食配给——社会及家庭发展部（MSF）、教育部（MOE）、幼儿培育署（ECDA）、HDB 以及三巴旺家庭服务中心。该家庭亦从其本地基层组织获得粮食配给及超市优惠券。 HDB 公共租赁组屋面向没有其他住房选择、亦无家庭支援的贫困新加坡家庭。HDB 与其他机构及社区伙伴（如社会服务处和家庭服务中心）紧密合作，为租赁租户提供支援。 吴韦材及 TISG 所报道的虚假陈述给人的印象是，HDB 因一户贫困家庭无力支付租金而剥夺其公共租赁住房。事实并非如此，有必要澄清事实。 [1] 附注：向《独立新加坡》发出的一份更正指示，涵盖其（i）网站及（ii）Facebook 专页。