Singapore has blocked access to the news outlet MalaysiaNow after it refused to carry correction notices for an article containing false claims about executed drug courier Pannir Selvam Pranthaman.
In a joint statement on Monday (17 Nov), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said the outlet ignored reminders to comply with a Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) direction issued on 15 Nov.
They added that the refusal was “not an action that would be taken by any responsible media outlet with journalistic integrity”.
Source: MalaysiaNow on Facebook
The correction direction, issued last Saturday (15 Nov), concerned an article posted by the outlet on 9 Nov that alleged:
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs
MHA released a detailed timeline from 2014 to 2025 showing that Pannir was accorded full due process.
He had exhausted 11 post-appeal applications, submitted six clemency petitions, and had two scheduled executions stayed before his sentence was carried out on 8 Oct 2025.
The ministry also clarified that Pannir was not issued a certificate of substantive assistance because he did not substantively assist CNB, and that the allegations involving CNB and SPS officers were false.
Source: MalaysiaNow website
MalaysiaNow, however, refused to comply.
In a Facebook post on Saturday (15 Nov), editor Abdar Rahman Koya said the outlet does not “take instructions” from the Singapore Government.
He wrote that Singapore was “effectively saying” it could manage the Malaysian media outlet’s content, calling the situation “baffling” and “amusing”.
“We do not take instructions from our own government; what makes them think we would take instructions from them?” Mr Koya wrote.
Source: MalaysiaNow on Facebook
Under POFMA, a correction direction does not require the article to be taken down.
It only requires that official clarifications be placed alongside it so readers can compare both accounts.
After MalaysiaNow declined to comply, the Minister for Digital Development and Information directed the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to issue access-blocking orders.
This requires internet service providers to disable access to the site for users in Singapore.
In checks done by MS News on Tuesday (18 Nov), the MalaysiaNow website could not be accessed. A notice about the POFMA issue was displayed instead.
Source: MalaysiaNow website
Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong also directed the POFMA Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta, LinkedIn, and X for MalaysiaNow’s related social media posts.
Authorities said readers should be able to “make their own assessment” only when both versions — the article and the correction — are placed side by side.
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Featured image adapted from MalaysiaNow on Facebook.