An Indian-origin blogger in Singapore was fined SGD 6,000 on Friday, June 6, after pleading guilty to a charge of promoting disharmony between different racial groups. The charge was related to a post Manmeet Singh made on TikTok in August 2024.
Singh, 57, had posted a commentary about alleged offensive remarks made by Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo. The commentary was based on a link he received from an unknown person. He did not verify the content before sharing his views online.
The post claimed that Teo, who is of Chinese descent, made remarks against the Malay community during an interview with Chinese media. Malays, who are mostly Muslim, make up about 15 percent of Singapore’s population.
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Singh removed the video later the same day after suspecting that the allegations were false. He then uploaded another video apologising to the minister and stating that his earlier claims were probably untrue.
At the time, his TikTok account had around 9,000 followers. The original video attracted attention from Teo’s colleagues and a reporter, leading to a police report being lodged by her press secretary.
Singh was arrested on February 4, 2025, and released on bail the next day. In court, his lawyers said that he had not intended to cause harm and that he felt guilty for his actions.
They also said that he does not make videos for profit or popularity, and that he has been more careful since the incident, avoiding political topics and verifying sources before posting.
Under Singapore law, promoting racial disharmony can result in a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.
