BACKGROUND
SDP’s statements were made regarding a case where three women – Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori and Mossammad Sobikun Nahar – had allegedly organised a march on Feb 2, 2024, in support of the Palestinian cause.
The women were charged on Jun 27 last year with public order offences.
Two days later, SDP was issued a correction order for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok posts it made on Jun 27 and Jun 28 about the charges against the women.
According to government website Factually, the posts contained two false statements: that the three women were prosecuted for organising support for the Palestinian people; and that the government, and in particular a minister, prosecuted the three women because they had expressed views that the government did not agree with.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, SDP complied with the correction order on Jun 29.
However, on Apr 7, the party submitted an application to vary the correction order, explaining in an accompanying statement that this was to raise issues “ahead of the General Election”.
This application was rejected by Mr Shanmugam after he found no merit in it.