Singapore: Issued MCI decision directing IMDA to remove access blocking orders to East Asia Forum following compliance

On 22 September 2023, the Minister for Communications and Information directed the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to remove Access Blocking Orders to the East Asia Forum's (EAF) website. This action followed the cancellation of the Correction Direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. On 20 September 2023, EAF requested the cancellation of the Correction Direction issued on 13 September 2023. EAF explained that the article "A spate of scandals strikes Singapore," published on 18 August 2023, had been removed from all EAF-associated publication sites at the author's request. Additionally, the author, Assistant Professor Chan Ying-Kit, issued a public apology regarding the matter. Consequently, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Ms. Indranee Rajah, instructed the POFMA Office to cancel the Correction Direction issued to EAF.