SINGAPORE – On Thursday (Aug 1), a real estate agent was issued a correction order under Singapore’s Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) following a misleading video he posted on social media about the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP).

The Ministry of National Development (MND) revealed that the agent, Shaik Amar, made inaccurate and misleading claims regarding the EIP in a video shared on his TikTok and Instagram accounts on July 24, followed by his YouTube channel the next day. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee directed the Pofma Office to issue a correction order, requiring Mr. Shaik to amend the content on his social media platforms.

Mr. Shaik, who is known as “thatproperty.guy” online, was instructed to display correction notices on his Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube profiles. According to MND, these notices should inform viewers that the video, posted on July 24 and 25, included false statements. The notices must also include a link to the government’s clarification so the public can compare both accounts.

Though Mr. Shaik removed the video from TikTok and Instagram, it remained available on YouTube, where it had received 163 views by 3:45 pm on Thursday. In response to media inquiries, his employer, ERA Realty Network, stated that Mr. Shaik’s views do not reflect the company’s stance and that appropriate action would be taken. ERA emphasized its commitment to accuracy and integrity in all communications and assured that it would reinforce these values with its agents to avoid similar incidents.

Agent Benefited from EIP Policy

An article on the government’s fact-checking website, Factually, clarified why Mr. Shaik’s claims were inaccurate. He had argued that the EIP does not benefit ethnic minorities and causes financial losses when they sell their flats. However, the government countered this by explaining that the EIP helps promote racial harmony by preventing racial enclaves and ensuring diversity in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates.

The policy guarantees that a certain proportion of flats in HDB developments, including more desirable locations, are reserved for minority groups. This is considered a key benefit, as it ensures that individuals from minority communities have access to flats in highly sought-after areas. The government further pointed out that Mr. Shaik himself benefitted from the EIP, as his household was able to select a flat under the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) scheme thanks to the policy.

In contrast, during the same SBF exercise, only about 40% of Chinese applicants were given the opportunity to select a flat due to the EIP’s ethnic quotas. Mr. Shaik’s flat, SkyOasis @ Dawson in Queenstown, is part of the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).

The article argued that without the EIP, the proportion of minority owners in popular HDB developments would likely be much lower, which would hinder minority households from benefiting when the resale value of these flats increases. Additionally, the EIP ensures that ethnic diversity is maintained not only during the initial flat purchase but also during resale, preventing the exclusion of any ethnic group over time.

The article further noted that nearly one-third of HDB blocks and 11% of HDB neighborhoods have reached their EIP limits, underscoring the policy’s role in maintaining ethnic balance in public housing. Without the EIP, the government argued, fewer minority households would be present in prime housing estates, negatively impacting these communities.

Support Measures for EIP-Constrained Owners

The article also addressed Mr. Shaik’s false assertion that the EIP causes financial harm to all minority homeowners when selling their flats. It clarified that measures are in place to help minority homeowners affected by EIP constraints during resale.