Couple behind TRS website face sedition charges
By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent, The Straits Times, 15 Apr 2015
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THE couple behind sociopolitical website The Real Singapore (TRS) were yesterday charged with seven counts of sedition and one of failing to produce documents to a police officer.
By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent, The Straits Times, 15 Apr 2015
Singaporean student Yang Kaiheng, 26, and his Australian girlfriend Ai Takagi, 22, published articles on the site between October 2013 and February this year which allegedly promoted ill will and hostility between different races or classes here.
The latest incident involved the Thaipusam procession on Feb 3 in which three men were arrested for disorderly behaviour.
The next day, TRS published a reader's letter which claimed that the incident happened after a Filipino family complained to the police that the drums were making their child cry.
Similar claims were made in a post on TRS' Facebook page.
However, the contributor later commented on another site that it was untrue a Filipino family was involved.
Police investigations went on to reveal that TRS had previously published articles targeting Filipinos as well as Chinese and Indian nationals, among others.
On May 22 last year, for instance, the TRS website carried a contributor's letter questioning the number of women from China allowed into Singapore, claiming that "many" of them are here to "hook men" and are responsible for the break-up of local families.
In a Nov 24, 2013 article, a letter writer claimed that he sacked seven employees - six Filipinos and an Indian - after alleging that they had "colluded in hiring their own nationals".
Another article on June 18 last year disparaged Filipinos here for allegedly giving preferential treatment to their compatriots.
An editor's note put up on the TRS website in October 2013 stated that "our objective is to instil fear in companies and make them think twice before hiring foreigners without really considering our Singaporean workforce".
The last charge accuses the couple of intentionally failing to produce documents - including revenue information pertaining to TRS advertising - to Deputy Superintendent Roy Lim last month.
TRS, which was set up in 2012, says on its site that it is not funded by political organisations or companies, but draws its income from advertising.
It said the site is hosted in Switzerland, the United States and Sweden.
Takagi and Yang, who are believed to be studying at the University of Queensland, have been identified by police as being jointly responsible for the content on TRS.
They are out on $20,000 bail each on condition that they surrender their passports to police.Mr Choo Zheng Xi and Mr Raj Mannar are representing the couple, whose pre-trial conference is scheduled for May 12.
Under the Sedition Act, the maximum punishment on each charge is a $5,000 fine and three years' jail.
The other charge carries a jail term of up to one month or a $1,500 fine, or both.
JUST IN: Couple behind The Real Singapore charged under Sedition Act. str.sg/3ZMYang Kaiheng, 26, and his girlfriend,...
Posted by The Straits Times on Monday, April 13, 2015
The couple behind The Real Singapore, Yang Kaiheng and Ai Takagi, have been charged with seven counts of sedition each. They also face an eighth charge under the Penal code. http://cna.asia/1FJK8J6
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Tuesday, April 14, 2015
JUST IN: Two people behind The Real Singapore, Yang Kaiheng and Ai Takagi, have been charged with seven counts of sedition.
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Monday, April 13, 2015
The articles in question
FEB 4: "Video: Local Singaporeans Complain Of Police Brutality At Thaipusam Procession", plus post on The Real Singapore's Facebook page
FEB 4: "Video: Local Singaporeans Complain Of Police Brutality At Thaipusam Procession", plus post on The Real Singapore's Facebook page
Issue: These assert that a Filipino family caused the clash between police and participants
JUNE 18, 2014:"Why Some Singaporeans Feel Annoyed With Pinoys in Singapore"
JUNE 18, 2014:"Why Some Singaporeans Feel Annoyed With Pinoys in Singapore"
Issue: Claims that Filipino managers favour subordinates from their country
NOV 24, 2013:"Dear TRS, I Sacked 6 Pinoy Nationals and 1 Indian National On Friday"
NOV 24, 2013:"Dear TRS, I Sacked 6 Pinoy Nationals and 1 Indian National On Friday"
Issue:Asserts that a Filipino and Indian national working in a firm colluded to hire their compatriots
MAY 22, 2014:"Why Does the Govt Allow PRC Stripper To Come Here Work And Steal My Husband!"
MAY 22, 2014:"Why Does the Govt Allow PRC Stripper To Come Here Work And Steal My Husband!"
Issue: Claims women from China come here to find Singaporean men
FEB 18, 2014:"Dear TRS, PRC Woman Makes Boy Pee Publicly In The MRT Into A Bottle"
FEB 18, 2014:"Dear TRS, PRC Woman Makes Boy Pee Publicly In The MRT Into A Bottle"
Issue: Falsely alleges that a woman from China got her grandchild to pee into a bottle
OCT 13, 2013:"Exposed: Puppy Murderer Works In Healthcare Industry, Her Company Hires Mostly Foreigners"
OCT 13, 2013:"Exposed: Puppy Murderer Works In Healthcare Industry, Her Company Hires Mostly Foreigners"
Issue:Claims a firm "hires more foreigners than locals". An Editor's Note, saying TRS wants to instil fear in firms which hire foreigners at Singaporeans' expense, was falsely attributed to "Farhan" when it was written by Ai Takagi.