A 46-year-old Singaporean man named Kong Chee Kian was recently sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for urging the assassination of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook, according to the Straits Times.
Kong had expressed his displeasure with the government and sought to incite violence against the head of the government due to his personal frustrations. This incident occurred following a news report on former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s shooting, which Kong had seen on Facebook.
Urged someone to do the same to PM Lee
Kong admitted to one charge of inciting violence electronically and was identified as posting the comment on July 8, 2022. He had resorted to using the profile name “Carl Brown” on Facebook, where he expressed his desire for someone to harm Singapore’s PM, similar to what had happened to Shinzo Abe.
Investigations revealed that Kong was struggling to find permanent employment due to his health issues and had been seeking a scapegoat for his problems.
On the same day, Kong commented on an article on Yahoo Singapore about Mr. Abe’s death, stating, “Your good friend LHL will join you.” Kong referred to PM Lee when he wrote the initials LHL.
Not the first time he incited violence towards the government
Kong’s inclination to incite violence towards the government was not a one-time occurrence, as seen a month earlier when he replied on an Instagram post regarding a Tamagotchi toy picture, stating, “the only weapon against Singapore PM.”
Deputy Public Prosecutor Delicia Tan argued that a zero-tolerance approach is necessary for this offence, emphasizing the severe consequences of such behaviour.
The prosecutor requested a 4½- to six-month jail term for Kong, highlighting the importance of addressing this behaviour decisively to prevent further similar cases.
Defense lawyer Rajoo Ravindran argued for a lighter sentence of two months, given that Kong was a first-time offender and had cooperated with the police during investigations.
Ravindran also pointed out that Kong’s family, including his 80-year-old father, would support him after his release, ensuring that he remains law-abiding.
However, District Judge Kamala Ponnampalam emphasized the seriousness of the offence, as Kong posed a specific threat to assassinate the Prime Minister.
In her sentencing, the judge sternly addressed Kong’s actions, stating that “weaponizing social media platforms to incite violence must be dealt with firmly.”
Kong’s four-month incarceration served as a warning against the dangers of such behaviour and the potential consequences for utilizing such platforms to spread violent and harmful messages.