Youth arrested for SAF hoax

A 19-year-old Chinese youth has been arrested by the police for posting an online hoax that a full-time national serviceman was shot dead during a training accident at Sembawang.

He was arrested for an offence of Transmitting a False or Fabricated message under Sec 45(b) of the Telecommunications Act, Cap 323, said a Police spokesperson yesterday. The youth is assisting the police investigations.

A police spokesperson said a report was lodged last Saturday and the Defence Ministry (MINDEF) said yesterday that it had filed the police report following an online hoax on Jan 27.

"MINDEF takes a very serious view of hoaxes that undermine public confidence in the Singapore Armed Forces and cause undue alarm to the public," said Colonel Desmond Tan, MINDEF's director of public affairs in a statement yesterday.

The hoax was posted on Jan 27 on a blog called Temasek Revealed. It also appeared on a Facebook page called Temasek Review. It is understood that both sites are not associated with socio-political website Temasek Review Emeritus.

If convicted of an offence under the Telecommunications Act, he could be jailed up to three years and fined.

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