Dec 21, 2008

Prospective Lawyer says I could be Charged with what I wrote on Blog...


Caution:(800 words, prepare Coffee and some snacks and take your time. But guarantee worth reading!)


This afternoon, before I actually go to the Police myself, I received legal advice from a prospective lawyer regarding my Lala Land City Hall Blog post. He’s a friend, a law student.


I can’t really digest the Law jargon, but let me just briefly highlight the main idea.

I’m in an Ambiguous Situation.
According to him, I have landed myself in an ambiguous situation because of the nature of my blog post. This is because it is written in a context of a joke (albeit a bad one).

There’s a law against Racial Comments/jokes, but a Law Against A tasteless joke?

I think many of you have put me under the same category of making fake news and bomb hoaxes. My friend saw my blog post and concluded that this isn’t really the case. This is because in the law’s eye, my blog post wasn’t exactly a hoax. As I have clearly stated that it’s a joke at the end of the post. If there’s any law that prohibits a tasteless joke...it’s really up to the judge. I can be charged. Like, a racial joke is actually more punishable than that joke-news posts I made, because no feelings were hurt in this case. Racial Jokes you write on forums > My joke blog post

Why I can be charged? And what’s the penalty?
Reasonable people will be able to read the entire post and realise that bomb is at the fictional universe: La La Land and NOT Singapore.

HOWEVER,I can still be charged because it is clear that I intended to give readers a scare before I reveal the truth. This may instil fear upon the public, should some individuals be misled. In other words, I’m actually spoiling Singapore’s state of peace.

The penalty for Mischief is imprisonment of up to three months, or a fine, or both
(Since I’m not 18 yet, and have reasonable good record, a lawyer can appeal for a much lighter sentence.)

Why I Might NOT Be Charged
It’s true that such a post may mislead readers who don’t read the full post (just the headline?). However, my intention for the blog post is to first scare readers with the headlines, make them read the rest of the post so as to be led into the truth.(it’s a joke!)

This is not the case where say... I lied to police that there’s a bomb at so & so.

There is no malice or intent of disruption because I actually wanted people to know that the blog post is fake, and had clearly stated it’s fake (on the fictional land of Lala, and not Singapore.)
Moreover, the magnitude of “fear instillation” (if any) may not be large enough to create significant damage.
(C’mon, reading things from a blogger on forums?)

As Heavy an Offense As A Drunk Person Pushing People on the Streets
Perhaps I’m placed on the same bar as annoyance to the public? Like how a drunk man shouts and shove people on the streets?

I was advised to just stay put for the time being
With my situation, I may or may not be charged by the Police. My friend advised that I need not report myself to the police in an attempt to “clear things up”.

This is because the police would have begun and completed investigation by now if someone had reported me.

I would just have to wait to see if the Police decide to prosecute me, and from then I can decide if I would defend my case in court (which I most likely won’t, so ex!)

Maximum Penalty: Fine or 3 months or both, but being under 18 and someone with a clean record, charges would normally be a lot lesser or none at all.

C’mon, that 17 year old guy who stole people’s internet AVOIDED 3 years of Jalil! What is my little joke post compared to his? Even Gan Huai Shi, that boy who posted seditious comments isn’t in jail!

In Closing, Let me Re introduce Myself...

With that, I would like to end this saga. FYI, if you know me in person, I’m very sure you will find me very nice(the sincere, angelic kind) I’m serious! Don’t be so quick to judge me just because I make a playful prank post okayyyy...

Here’s a proper apology for those who think I wasn’t sincere.

To readers who experienced a moment of panic after reading the headine I typed,

I would like to give my utmost apologies. It was my poor taste and bad judgment and I assure you there won’t be a 2nd time.

(im only apologising to people who were REALLY shocked. Not those who very free come here post shit comments. I hope you people get cancer!)
Yes, I'm advertsing this blog everywhere, and i dont think it's attention seeking in a bad way.
If your boss ask you advertise for a client to make $, can u be NOT attention seeking?

Except im my own Boss here lah:) The subsequent blog articles i make will be filled with fun so please do return:)

People Who Sorta Defended Me

As bitter at the situation was, there were actually many people who were sorta defending my blog entry. Thank You? Haha^^

Here are the screenshots, taken from Stomp, HWZ and my own blog. Nope, they aren’t my clones I swear.

For the right Order,Read From Bottom to top, Click to Enlarge.



















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3 comments:

DK said...

Glad you know your mistake. Hopefully we don't see such things in the blogosphere again.

Unknown said...

we all know this is a fictional news site. its like TheOnion. no one takes their news seriously. the police are just trying to scare the young from acting irrationally online but the bottomline is this, you posted that news article under the pretext of a joke...

frags said...

I don't think Asian's get sattire yet :P And no that's not a racist comment.

There must be some commedic element or humour in your writing to hint the reader on it being a sattire.

Here's how not to do a sattire:
http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2008/10/despicable.html

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