Singaporean health ministry has directed the office of Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) to issue directions to social media portals in view of a false assertion over a new COVID-19 variant originating in the country and its risks spreading to India.
Social media sites will have to carry a correction notice to all their end-users in Singapore who use Facebook, Twitter and HardwareZone.com.
The ministry said: "There is no new 'Singapore' variant of COVID-19. Neither is there evidence of any COVID-19 variant that is 'extremely dangerous for kids'. The strain that is prevalent in many of the COVID-19 cases detected in Singapore in recent weeks is the B.1.617.2 variant, which originated from India. The existence and spread of the B.1.617.2 variant within India predates the detection of the variant in Singapore and this has been publicly known and reported by various media sources from as early as May 5, 2021."
Under corrections and clarifications, Singapore MoH stated, "There's no new "Singapore" variant of COVID-19. Neither is there evidence of any variant that is ‘extremely dangerous for kids’. Strain that's prevalent in recent weeks is B.1.617.2 variant which originated from India."
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2021
In this regard, POFMA Office has to issue general correction directions to Facebook, Twitter and SPH Magazines Pte Ltd. All of them are required to carry the correction notice to all end-users in Singapore: Ministry of Health (MoH), Singapore
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2021
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar clarified on the same on Wednesday and said: "Delhi CM does not speak for India". Dr Jaishankar also recognised Singapore's role as a logistics hubs and an oxygen supplier.
However, irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 19, 2021
So, let me clarify- Delhi CM does not speak for India.
The controversy took place when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called for cancelling all flights to and from Singapore, saying a strain of COVID-19 found in the country could reach India's national capital in the form of a third wave.
Kejriwal had tweeted in Hindi, "The new form of coronavirus in Singapore is said to be very dangerous for children. It could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave. My appeal to the Central government: 1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect, 2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on priority basis."
Edited by Mehak Agarwal