Online networks deployed nearly 400 coordinated posts across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X to amplify unfounded claims against Singapore. The campaign circulated baseless accusations that state investors GIC and Temasek influenced MSCI to trigger an Indonesian stock slump. It also falsely alleged that a covert diplomatic meeting took place with domestic figures who had recently criticized anti-Singapore narratives or published unfavorable polling on President Prabowo Subianto. Both Singaporean state firms and targeted individuals firmly denied the fabricated claims.
Key points
The coordinated campaign attempted to falsely link Indonesia's stock downturn to Singapor…: The coordinated campaign attempted to falsely link Indonesia's stock downturn to Singapore rather than domestic governance concerns raised by MSCI.
Fabricated reports of a covert diplomatic gathering were weaponized against Indonesian fi…: Fabricated reports of a covert diplomatic gathering were weaponized against Indonesian figures who had previously challenged the market manipulation narrative.
Online actors sought to tie the financial market volatility to Indonesia's minor domestic…: Online actors sought to tie the financial market volatility to Indonesia's minor domestic reduction in natural gas exports to Singapore.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Across multiple social media platforms, CNA Verify found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert.
SINGAPORE: The post emerged on Instagram late on a Friday evening, claiming that Singapore’s ambassador in Jakarta had “received” two prominent Indonesians at his residence.
It identified former Indonesian deputy foreign minister Dino Patti Djalal and academic Saiful Mujani and asked, in Bahasa Indonesia, if there was a hidden agenda behind the alleged visit. The Instagram post’s caption also used a Javanese colonial-era slur for locals who serve foreign masters.
Posted by a satirical meme page with over 710,000 followers, it appears to be the earliest attempt at generating online attention for the supposed meeting, which the two men have denied as completely fictitious, and the Singapore embassy dismissed as “clearly disinformation”.
Both men had recently drawn attention for different reasons. The day before, Mr Dino publicly dismissed claims that…
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