Bloomberg issued Pofma order over article on GCB transactions in Singapore

Correction orders also issued to three other outlets for carrying its false statements

- Goh Yan Han

News organisation Bloomberg has been issued correction directions under the fake news law following its Dec 12 article on good class bungalow (GCB) transactions in Singapore.

The Edge Singapore, The Independent Singapore and The Online Citizen have also been issued correction orders for carrying in part or in full the statements published in the Bloomberg piece.

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, had instructed for these orders under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), said the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) in a statement on Dec 23.

The ministry said the false statements in Bloomberg's article "attack the transparency of property transactions in Singapore".

"Together, these falsehoods give the impression that Singapore does not have a robust legal framework to require disclosure of information to the Government in GCB transactions," it said.

"It is in the public interest that these falsehoods are addressed so that public confidence in the Government is not undermined," it added.

The Bloomberg piece, with the headline, "Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy", had covered GCB deals inked from January to early December, measured by value.

The article stated that its findings were from data compiled by Bloomberg News and List Sotheby's International Realty.

The article also mentioned property transactions involving Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.

Both said in Facebook posts on Dec 16 that they would be taking legal action against Bloomberg and other media outlets for publishing statements concerning their property transactions, which they consider libellous.

The Straits Times understands that they have since issued letters of demand in relation to the article, after taking legal advice.

MinLaw said the Bloomberg piece communicated several falsehoods.