Mr Khaw Boon Wan (Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings),

We wish to submit to you to terminate the employment of a Ms Salma Khalik who is presently the Senior Health Correspondent of Straits Times. 

We also wish for SPH to apologise to all Singaporeans who have been affected by this article. 

On 7 August 2021, Straits Times, with Ms Salma Khalik as the author, published an article that created a great social divide in the Republic of Singapore. The article can be seen at;

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/covid-19-only-fair-to-protect-vulnerable-against-spread-by-unvaccinated-people

In that article, she expressed the following statements,

1) "Only fair to protect vulnerable in S'pore against Covid-19 spread by unvaccinated people" - Ms Salma Khalik

2) "People who are not vaccinated face a much higher risk of getting infected and spreading the disease" - Ms Salma Khalik

We brought Singapore Press Holdings to Court. In which, Ms Salma Khalik, in a sworn affidavit under oath, submitted on Singapore Press Holdings' behalf, that the 2 above-mentioned statements are "not statement of fact".

We cannot allow a national press to be able to make commentaries, opinions or statements as they like, especially when it is not based on "statement of facts". Especially such expression of such commentaries & opinions has the tendency of dividing Singapore and creating unprecendented hurt and disharmony in individuals, families and the workplace.

I believe as an ex Minister of Singapore, your heart still has Singapore and would do the right thing for Singapore and also the future success of Singapore Press Holdings (or SPH Media Trust as it is presently called).

We also call for responsible journalism that in the event in when a statement which is "not a statement of fact" is presented, that it is clearly labelled as an opinion and that journalists present the other side of the story. 

We are facing a global health crisis and our National Press has the moral duty to the country to present unbiased reporting of what is happening around the world and in Singapore as well. 

We urge you to bring to task journalists who may mislead the public and uphold journalistic integrity in Singapore.