FAKE: Image of Janil Puthucheary & Tan Kiat How used to advertise ‘Sugar Friends Tea’

A few months ago, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung posted a warning on Facebook that doctored pictures of him were being used to endorse “certain medical products”.

Similarly, Senior Ministers of State Dr Janil Puthucheary and Tan Kiat How wrote in separate Facebook posts on Sunday (July 10) to say that a photo of them has been altered to promote a product called “Sugar Friends Tea.”

“The advertisers had edited a photo from an MOU-signing ceremony,” wrote Dr Janil, who is the Senior Minister of State for Health, Communication and Information.

“As a practice, government officials do not endorse products. Stay alert and do not fall prey to such fake advertising,” he added.

Mr Tan, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development, wrote, “The photo asserts that MOH endorses certain products. This photo and claims are fake.”

Both Dr Janil and Mr Tan shared links in their posts to the original photo of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, which Dr Janil had shared on May 14.

The MOU had been sighed between SG Women-in-Tech and local polytechnics with the aim of supporting girls who are studying Information Technology to deepen their interest in the field through a Cross-Polytechnic Girls in Tech committee, he wrote then, adding that he hoped “more industry leaders will join in our movement to nurture young tech talents.”

In the photo, the two Senior Ministers are together with two women and one man, with copies of the signed MOU being held up.

In the doctored photo, however, those who had been holding the MOU appear to be holding boxes of the product.

The fake photo appeared in an advertisement on YouTube.

Dr Janil said that he learned of the doctored photo on Sunday (Jul 10), TODAY reported.

Furthermore, the YouTube ad claimed that “Sugar Friends Tea” was a product approved by the Ministry of Health and that it was able to cause a decrease in people’s blood sugar levels.

And while there are links included in the ad, Dr Janil told TODAY he was not able to access any of them, adding that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is investigating the issue.

Earlier this year, the Health Minister wrote that “As a practice, MOH officials and political appointees do not endorse any medical products.” 

Mr Ong said on April 26 that the MOH was working with Facebook in Singapore to remove the unauthorised and misleading posts.

“Please be careful and not fall prey to such fake advertising,” he urged. /TISG

‘These are all fake’ — Ong Ye Kung’s image being used to endorse medical products