SINGAPORE – A 59-year-old man was charged on March 11 over statements in his TikTok videos that allegedly contained falsehoods and promoted ill will between racial groups.
Jay Ish’haq Rajoo faces six charges: three counts of communicating false statements of fact under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA); one count of attempting to promote feelings of ill will between different racial groups on grounds of race; and two counts of defamation.
Charge sheets stated that Rajoo posted a TikTok video on July 17, 2023, alleging that the Government could track how people voted and penalise them.
In another video on Aug 12 that year, he claimed that no low- or middle-income individuals who utilised their Central Provident Fund monies to repay their HDB loans had met either the Basic or Full Retirement Sum.
He also allegedly defamed Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong by insinuating in a TikTok video on Aug 3, 2023, that Mr Lee’s nomination of Mr Lucien Wong as the Attorney-General showed nepotism and conflict of interest.
Rajoo was issued 24-month conditional warnings in 2024 by the police and the POFMA Office, respectively, in relation to the videos posted in 2023.
