Male assisting police over fake PMO statement on Lee Kuan Yew

A male Singaporean is assisting police in investigation into a fake Prime Minister's Office (PMO) notice on former prime

minister Lee Kuan Yew.

In a news release issued today, the Singapore Police Force said: On Wednesday (March 18) at 10.10pm, the Police were alerted to multiple messages that were being circulated regarding a screenshot photograph of a statement purportedly from the PMO website.

The police established the identity of the suspect within 24 hours. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was believed to have modified an earlier 2010 PMO media statement hosted on the PMO website and subsequently sent out a photo of the modified content.

The suspect is a male Singaporean student, below 16 years of age, and is believed to have operated alone.

He is assisting the police in investigation for Access with Intent to Commit or Facilitate Commission of Offence under Section 4(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, Chapter 50A, which carries a punishment of a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both.

Acting Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sekher Warrier, advised members of public not to spread falsehoods.

Police take a very stern view against anyone who doctors a government website to spread false information to deceive the public.

Individuals who do so must be prepared to face consequences under the law.

Kuan Yew, 91, is at the intensive care unit of the Singapore Federal Hospital where he was admitted on Feb 5 for severe pneumonia, PMO said in a statement.