Woman, 22, to be charged with acting as member of unlawful society; faces three years in jail

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A woman allegedly posted in July 2023 video clips of herself on a social media platform chanting gang slogans and displaying gang hand signs to show secret society affiliation.

The 22-year-old will be charged on April 29 with allegedly acting as a member of an unlawful society under the Societies Act 1966, said the police in a statement on April 28.

If found guilty, she can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $5,000, or both.

The woman was not named in the statement, and it is not known if her post is still up.

The police said they have zero tolerance towards secret society activities, and will not hesitate to take strong action in accordance with the law against those who choose to be associated with gangs, or act as gang members by chanting gang poems and slogans, or display gang hand signs on social media platforms.

“Members of the public are advised to steer clear of secret society activities and to report those engaging in such unlawful activities to the police immediately,” they added.

Earlier in April, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, which allows the Minister for Home Affairs to detain someone linked to syndicates and secret societies without trial, was extended for another five years.

Widely known as Section 55, it was enacted in 1955 to deal with Singapore’s gang problem. It now covers secret societies, unlicensed moneylending, drug trafficking, kidnapping and organised crime. - The Straits Times/ANN