Singapore daily editor warned for publishing exit poll result

The Editor of a leading Singapore daily was given a stern warning for publishing the exit poll result of a local by-election during the campaigning and voting period.
The Singapore Police Force, acting on the directions of the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC), has issued stern warnings to Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Straits Times Editor Warren Fernandez for publishing a Straits Times poll on the Punggol East by-election in January this year.
The Straits Times had published an article "ST poll: More rooting for PAP", which contained the results of an election survey.
AGC said the publication of the article was the result of Fernandez's negligence.

It is an offence under the Parliamentary Elections Act to publish the results of any election survey during the period beginning with the day the writ of election is issued and ending with the close of all polling stations on voting day.
This is punishable with up to 12 months' jail and a fine not exceeding 1,500 Singapore dollars.
SPH, the publisher of the newspaper, said the Straits Times newsroom cooperated fully with the police during their investigations and accepted that there was an internal lapse that led to the publication of the poll results.
SPH said that Patrick Daniel, its editor-in-chief of the English and Malay newspapers division, and Fernandez were at the Central Police Division yesterday to receive the written warnings on behalf of SPH and The Straits Times respectively.