Man Charged Over False Bomb Threats to Parliament House, July 9

Koh Jye Shyang, 40, was charged in court on July 9 with sending two false bomb threats to Parliament House and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX). He allegedly submitted a hoax threat to HTX on July 3 and emailed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on July 6 claiming bombs were planted at both locations. Police found no explosives after sweeping both buildings. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both.

How the threats were sent and discovered

On July 3 at 1:30pm, Koh allegedly submitted an online FormSG message to HTX stating: “There is a bomb in the Home Team Science and Technology Agency building in 1 Stars Avenue, #12-01, Singapore 138507. Please evacuate the premises immediately.” HTX reported the threat to police. Three days later at 3pm on July 6, Koh allegedly emailed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong with a similar message about Parliament House at 1 Parliament Place. Police received the report on July 7 and arrested Koh the same day after establishing both threats came from the same person.

Police response and security checks

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Central Police Division conducted thorough systematic sweeps of both Parliament House and the HTX building at 1 Stars Avenue, which shares office space with Mediacorp. No items of security concern were found at either location. Police seized several electronic devices from Koh believed to have been used to send the threats. The agency is located on the 12th floor of the building.

Charges and potential penalties

Koh was charged with two counts of communicating false information of a harmful thing under Section 268A of the Penal Code. If convicted, he faces imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both. During his court appearance, Koh requested bail to allow a cybersecurity expert from San Francisco to check his computer, but prosecutors asked for one week of remand for ongoing investigations. He is scheduled to return to court on July 16.

Why false threats carry serious consequences

Singapore’s police treat all security threats seriously and do not hesitate to prosecute hoaxes. False bomb threats cause unnecessary public anxiety and divert valuable police resources from genuine emergencies. The sweeps of Parliament House and HTX required significant personnel and time, disrupting normal operations at both government buildings.

Final Thoughts

Koh’s charges underscore Singapore’s zero-tolerance stance on false security threats. The case demonstrates how hoax bomb threats waste public resources and trigger costly security responses, justifying the seven-year maximum sentence.

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