SINGAPORE, July 5 — The Workers’ Party (WP) candidate Raeesah Khan today apologised for two social media posts that are the subject of a police investigation for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion or race.
Raeesah, 26, a WP candidate for the Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), said that it was never her intention to cause any social division but to raise awareness about the concerns of minorities.
“I apologise to any racial group or community who have been hurt by my comments,” she said. “My remarks were insensitive and I regret making them.”
WP chief Pritam Singh addressed the media with Raeesah on Sunday evening, hours after a police press statement on the investigation.
Adding that he was not aware of the two posts, Mr Singh said that he does not encourage and would be “a bit disappointed” if WP candidates tried to sanitise their past.
“I think they should be upfront and authentic to the public,” he added, noting that Raeesah is the youngest WP candidate in the election.
“And in the event there are certain posts or certain comments that they may have made which are untoward, then I would expect them to explain theelves.”
He said that Raeesah would continue with the election campaign and that the party would review the incident after the campaign.
Raeesah is contesting Sengkang GRC with Dr Jamus Lim, 44, He Ting Ru, 37, and Mr Louis Chua, 33.
Her apology came hours after the police said that two police reports had been made against her in relation to comments that she allegedly made on social media.
The posts, which were made in February 2018 and May this year, have resurfaced during the hustings.
She allegedly said that Singapore’s law enforcement authorities had discriminated against citizens, and that compared with other groups, rich Chinese and white people were treated differently under the law.
The police also said that in the context of a news story on the City Harvest Church ruling, Raeesah allegedly said that Singapore jailed minorities mercilessly, harassed mosque leaders, but let corrupt church leaders who stole S$50 million walk free, and questioned who had been paid.
In October last year, six City Harvest Church leaders were found guilty of various charges of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts in October 2015.
The police said they consulted the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which advised that Raeesah could be liable to an offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race under Section 298A of the Penal Code. Those found guilty of such an offence could be jailed up to three years, fined, or punished with both.
Police investigations are continuing. — TODAY
