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Man convicted of criminally intimidating PM Lee

SINGAPORE — A 33-year-old man was convicted today (Oct 6) for criminal intimidation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong by sending private messages to Mr Lee’s Facebook account in June. Tan Yeong Hong also voluntarily caused hurt to two police officers.

SINGAPORE — A 33-year-old man was convicted today (Oct 6) for criminal intimidation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong by sending private messages to Mr Lee’s Facebook account in June. Tan Yeong Hong also voluntarily caused hurt to two police officers.

Pleading guilty to three charges today, the district court heard that Tan had used the Facebook moniker “Gary Tan” to send four identical threatening private messages to Mr Lee’s Facebook account.

The messages, which were sent on June 24 at 8.49pm, read: “Eh, You challenged me to visit your (Meet-the-People Sessions) but you are not here. I will find and stage an attack on you when I have information on your public appearances. You know who I am...”

When the police approached Tan the following day, he refused to disclose his identity, turned hostile and threw a punch at one of the police officer’s left shoulder. Tan also elbowed another police officer in his mouth, which left the latter with a superficial cut on his lips.

Further investigations by the police revealed that on June 24, Tan made a trip to the Meet-the-People Session at Ang Mo Kio to pass Mr Lee an article he had typed out. As Mr Lee was not present, he passed the article to a grassroots leader instead. Tan admitted that he had carried a black haversack containing a hammer to the session but claimed he had no intention to use it.

Upset that he was unable to pass the article to Mr Lee, he used his mobile phone to send the four private messages to Mr Lee’s Facebook account, claiming that he did so because he “was being prompted by someone with a hidden audio and surveillance device planted in my house”.

This is believed to be the first time the court has heard a case of using the Internet to threaten the Prime Minister.

Speaking in court today, Tan apologised for his “childish acts” and asked for a lighter sentence as he had to support his parents - one had a knee surgery and the other was a stroke patient.

According to psychiatric reports quoted by the prosecution today, Tan has paranoid schizophrenia that remains untreated. At the time of offence, his condition had also played a large contributory role. But the report from the Institute of Mental Health noted that Tan was fit to plead in the court of law. Asked by District Judge Mathew Joseph why he committed those offences, Tan said he was facing financial pressure and was frustrated when he could not meet Mr Lee. He added that he also “got scolded” by the people behind the surveillance system in his house.

The prosecution is seeking a total sentence of 18 to 23 months.

But in the “interest of justice and fairness”, Mr Joseph said the court will assign a volunteer defence counsel for Tan. This is in light of the psychiatric report and the nature of Tan’s charges, he added.

The case will be heard again on Oct 15.

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