SINGAPORE — Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Leong Mun Wai, as well as two sociopolitical websites, have been issued with correction directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) for publishing false statements regarding financial aid for a couple.
These statements were made in Mr Leong’s Facebook and Instagram posts on Feb 12, and were subsequently published on Gutzy Asia and The Online Citizen the following day.
In a statement on Thursday (Feb 15), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, has instructed the Pofma Office to issue correction directions to the three parties over the posts.
Mr Leong, a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, said in his post that a married couple with mobility problems living in the West Coast area did not receive any financial assistance from the Government other than the wife’s Home Caregiving Grant.
The Home Caregiving Grant provides a monthly cash payout of up to S$400 to defray caregiving costs for eligible recipients.
Mr Leong added that she had depleted most of her Central Provident Fund (CPF) MediSave account to fund a leg operation, had to pay monthly instalments for her walker aid and leg cast, and gave up physiotherapy because she could not afford the cost of S$100 a session.
He also said that the couple’s application for further assistance, such as transport bursaries, was rejected. Mr Leong did not identify the couple in the post, but had posted a photograph taken with the couple.
THE FACTS
On Thursday, MSF said that the couple presently receives financial assistance for their daily expenses from various public sector agencies and community partners.
These include the Home Caregiving Grant, South West Community Development Council Utilities Vouchers, and NTUC FairPrice supermarket vouchers from the People’s Association, as well as cash of S$300 a month from a temple. They receive a total of around S$830 a month in cash and vouchers.
“Since 2021, the couple have received approximately S$39,000 in cash and vouchers from various public sector agencies and community partners. This included S$21,000 in ComCare assistance from May 2021 to April 2023,” the ministry added.
In addition, MSF said that the couple have more than S$100,000 in total in both their CPF retirement accounts, and the woman received a lump sum payout of S$5,000 in April last year.
With regard to the woman’s ankle operation at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in June last year, the ministry said that although the total hospital bill was S$8,580, her remaining bill amount was about S$240 after MediShield Life and MediSave subsidies.
“The woman had more than S$60,000 left in her MediSave account after that withdrawal,” it said, adding that this sum was as of Feb 12.
On the woman’s physiotherapy sessions at the same hospital, MSF said that each session cost around S$25 after government subsidies and the sessions were fully covered by MediFund.
“She did not have to pay any cash out-of-pocket for those sessions. She will continue to receive full MediFund assistance for her outpatient bills until June 2024, at which point her eligibility for MediFund will be re-assessed.”
MediFund is an endowment fund set up by the Government that provides a safety net for patients who have financial difficulties with their remaining bills after receiving government subsidies and drawing on other means of payment including MediShield Life, MediSave and cash.
MSF also said that the couple had received public transport vouchers in the current and past two Public Transport Voucher handouts, with the man having received subsidised medical escort and transport services from community care providers since 2021.
“When the woman fractured her ankle, the Silver Generation Office offered to refer her to a subsidised medical escort and transport services, but she had declined the offer.”
An officer from the People’s Association visited the couple regularly, ferried them for hospital visits, bought meals for them when they could not leave their house, and helped them run errands.
MSF said that the false statements in Mr Leong’s posts “erode public trust and mislead the public about the support that is available and provided to families who are in need”.
Under the correction direction, Mr Leong, The Online Citizen, and Gutzy Asia will be required to insert a notice in the original post with a link to the Government’s clarification.
