Beware of Frivolous speech

Gosh I can't believe that our police is carrying out further investigations just because a 20 year old lad expressed on Facebook that he felt like throwing an egg at a certain minister! Another person who commented on the lad's posting providing information on the minister's meet-the-people session is also being investigated for inciting violence!!! The poor lad now admits it was a joke.

Honestly it is no joking business. The police better educate the public on what kind of acts will constitute inciting violence or breaking the law. What normal people perceive as joke can now be interpreted as intention to cause harm. What about jokingly throwing eggs at your neighbour online? Can your neighbour now lodge a police report too or does this right belong to certain people only? Further, will Facebook and other social media companies be expected to include 'the threat to throw eggs' as a direct threat of violence in Singapore and which under the media company's inhouse rule has to be removed.

To reiterate it is no joking business we have to be reminded that even a private comment on Facebook by the PM's nephew residing overseas resulted in him being taken to court. He had opined in a private Facebook posting saying that the Singapore Government 'is very litigious and has a pliant court system'.

Therefore instead of pretending to uphold freedom of speech the police should just directly come out with a list of 'Forbidden Speech' or 'Silly Words which may land you in Jail' for the benefit of clueless netizens who may not be aware they are on the wrong side of the law with frivolous speech.