The Online Citizen
A Singapore-origin sociopolitical news and advocacy platform known for covering issues outside the mainstream media.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Online Citizen, commonly abbreviated as TOC, is a Singapore-origin digital news and commentary platform founded in December 2006 by Andrew Loh and Remy Choo Zheng Xi. It developed as a blogging and citizen-journalism project and became associated with political activism, advocacy journalism, and reporting on social and political issues that its editors considered insufficiently covered by Singapore's mainstream media. The platform describes itself as a group of advocacy journalists rather than a conventional news organization. TOC's editorial scope has included political commentary, public policy, civil liberties, legal affairs, social issues, and criticism of government institutions and officeholders. Its activities have extended beyond publishing: Singapore authorities treated the platform's campaigns and activities as having a political dimension. In 2011, the Registry of Political Donations gazetted TOC as a political association, citing online and offline campaigns intended to influence legislation and government policy. That designation imposed restrictions under Singapore's Political Donations Act, including limits on foreign and certain anonymous contributions. The platform later registered for a broadcasting class licence in 2014. The registration required an undertaking that it would not receive foreign funding for the provision, management, or operation of its online services. In February 2018, TOC was removed from the political-association register after authorities determined that it was effectively operated by one person. Terry Xu had become the central editor and had overseen content development since the departure of the original editorial team in 2011. TOC became increasingly prominent through a series of legal disputes. In 2018, police seized computers belonging to Xu after the site published a letter alleging corruption involving senior Singapore government figures. Xu and the letter's author were later convicted of defamation-related offences. In another major case, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sued Xu over material concerning the Lee family house at 38 Oxley Road. The litigation resulted in an award of damages to Lee, which he said he donated to charity. These disputes made TOC an important example in debates about defamation law, press freedom, political speech, and the use of legal remedies against online publishers in Singapore. In September 2021, the Infocomm Media Development Authority suspended TOC's broadcasting class licence after seeking information about the platform's funding. The regulator prohibited the publication of new articles while the issue was considered. Xu took the site offline, and the licence was cancelled in October 2021. A subsequent judicial review challenge was dismissed by the High Court in December 2021. The website relaunched in September 2022 after Xu announced that operations would be shifted to Taiwan through a new company, Gutzy Asia. The relaunched publication broadened its stated ambition to cover news in Asia and beyond Singapore while retaining TOC's political and advocacy-oriented identity. Subsequent legal and regulatory controversies included a contempt-of-court fine concerning publication of an open letter, defamation proceedings involving Singapore ministers and a bank, and correction directives under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. In 2024, Gutzy Asia announced that operations would move back under The Online Citizen name after regulatory action involving associated online locations. The platform remains a politically engaged digital publication whose history reflects the interaction between online journalism, political advocacy, regulation, and litigation in Singapore.
History
The Online Citizen began in Singapore in December 2006 as a blogging and citizen-journalism platform founded by Andrew Loh and Remy Choo Zheng Xi. From its early years, it combined news reporting with commentary and political advocacy. Its editorial identity centered on topics that its contributors believed received limited attention from Singapore's mainstream media, including civil liberties, public administration, political accountability, and social policy. The platform's relationship with Singapore's regulatory system became significant in 2011, when the Registry of Political Donations classified it as a political association. The designation reflected the authorities' view that TOC's editors were organizing online and offline campaigns intended to change legislation or government policy. As a political entity, it became subject to rules restricting foreign contributions and certain anonymous donations. In 2014, TOC registered for a broadcasting class licence under the regulatory framework for online publishers. The registration included an undertaking not to receive foreign funding for the provision, management, or operation of its online services. The original editorial structure changed substantially after the founding period. The core editorial team departed in 2011, and Terry Xu subsequently became the principal person responsible for developing the site's content. In February 2018, TOC was de-gazetted as a political association because it was considered to be operated by a single individual. The change did not remove the site's political significance, but it formalized its transition from a broader editorial collective into a publication largely identified with Xu. Legal disputes intensified from 2018 onward. In September of that year, TOC published a letter by Daniel De Costa Augustin alleging corruption at the highest levels of Singapore government. Police later seized Xu's computers during an investigation. The author and Xu were eventually convicted in connection with defamation and computer-misuse matters, and both received custodial sentences in 2022. Xu's sentence was subsequently reduced on appeal to a fine. The case placed the platform at the center of discussion about publisher liability, anonymous submissions, and criminal defamation. A separate dispute involved reporting and commentary about 38 Oxley Road, the home associated with Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned TOC's editor that he would pursue legal action unless the material was withdrawn and an apology issued. He later sued Xu, who was found liable, with damages awarded to Lee. Lee stated that the damages were donated to charity. The litigation was controversial among critics who questioned the use of institutional resources in a dispute connected to a private family matter, while the case itself demonstrated the legal exposure faced by online publishers covering politically sensitive subjects. In September 2021, the Infocomm Media Development Authority suspended TOC's broadcasting class licence while seeking information about the platform's funding. The regulator directed that no new articles be published after a specified deadline and warned that the licence could be cancelled if the requested information was not provided. Xu took the site offline, and the licence was cancelled on 15 October 2021. TOC challenged the regulatory orders through judicial review, but the High Court dismissed the application in December 2021. The publication returned in September 2022. Xu announced that operations had moved to Taiwan through Gutzy Asia and that the relaunched site would cover developments across Asia and beyond Singapore. The move allowed the publication to continue its editorial project outside the original Singapore operating structure, although its content continued to focus substantially on Singaporean affairs. In 2023, Xu received a contempt-of-court fine after reproducing an open letter critical of Singapore's justice system. The platform continued to face legal and regulatory challenges after its relaunch. These included defamation claims involving senior public figures and a bank, as well as correction directives under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. In 2024, Gutzy Asia shifted operations back to The Online Citizen after associated sites were subjected to regulatory designation. The site's history therefore spans the development of Singapore's online news environment, state regulation of politically oriented digital media, defamation litigation, and attempts to sustain an advocacy publication through changes in geography and corporate structure.
- 2024
Operations return to the TOC identity
[1]Gutzy Asia shifts operations back to The Online Citizen after regulatory action involving associated online locations.
- 2022
Relaunch from Taiwan
[1]TOC resumes publishing through a Taiwan-based operating arrangement involving Gutzy Asia.
- 2021
Broadcasting licence suspension and cancellation
[1]The regulator suspends and later cancels TOC's broadcasting class licence following a dispute over funding information.
- 2018
TOC is removed from the political-association register
[1]The platform is de-gazetted after being treated as a one-person operation led by Terry Xu.
- 2014
Broadcasting class-licence registration
[1]TOC registers under Singapore's broadcasting framework and undertakes not to accept foreign funding for its online operations.
- 2011
TOC is classified as a political association
[1]Singapore's Registry of Political Donations gazettes the platform as a political association because of its campaigning activity.
- 2006
The Online Citizen is founded
[1]Andrew Loh and Remy Choo Zheng Xi establish TOC in Singapore as a blogging and citizen-journalism platform.
Products and positioning
An independent, advocacy-oriented digital publication focused on Singaporean politics, public policy, civil liberties, and social issues that it considers underrepresented in mainstream media.
Digital news publication · 2006
The Online Citizen website
TOC's primary online publication provides reporting, political commentary, opinion pieces, and advocacy-oriented coverage. Its subject matter has included Singaporean government and public institutions, civil liberties, social policy, legal disputes, and regional affairs. The site has operated under different regulatory and geographic arrangements, including a period in which its operations were conducted from Taiwan through Gutzy Asia.
Public-interest advocacy · 2006
TOC campaigns and advocacy publishing
Beyond conventional articles, TOC has published and promoted online and offline campaigns intended to influence public debate, legislation, and government policy. This advocacy dimension contributed to its 2011 classification as a political association and remains central to the platform's positioning as an alternative or independent voice.
Controversies
2023
Contempt-of-court proceedings
Terry Xu was fined for reproducing an open letter that questioned the equality of Singapore's justice system, adding another legal controversy to the publication's record.
2021
Broadcasting licence dispute
TOC's broadcasting class licence was suspended and later cancelled after the regulator sought information about its funding. The platform's judicial review challenge was dismissed.
2019
38 Oxley Road litigation
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sued Terry Xu over material concerning the Lee family home at 38 Oxley Road. Xu was found liable and damages were awarded to Lee, who said he donated them to charity.
2018
Defamation case involving allegations against Singapore ministers
TOC published a letter alleging corruption at senior levels of Singapore government. Terry Xu and the letter's author were later convicted in connection with defamation-related offences, making the case a major controversy concerning online publication and criminal defamation.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Online and offline policy campaigns
Singapore
Authorities cited TOC's organization of online and offline campaigns intended to change legislation and government policy when classifying it as a political association.
Outcome. The classification subjected the platform to political-donation restrictions.
Brand decisions
2022
Shift operations to Taiwan through Gutzy AsiaStrategyBackground
After the Singapore broadcasting licence was cancelled, TOC sought a structure through which its publication could continue.
Action taken
Xu relaunched the site from Taiwan under an operating arrangement involving Gutzy Asia and broadened its stated coverage to Asia and beyond.
Aftermath
The publication resumed online activity and later moved operations back under the TOC name.
2021
Take the site offline during the licence disputeStrategyBackground
The Infocomm Media Development Authority suspended TOC's broadcasting class licence and restricted the publication of new articles while seeking funding information.
Action taken
Terry Xu took the website offline rather than continue publishing under the suspended licence.
Aftermath
The licence was cancelled in October 2021, and a subsequent judicial review application was dismissed.
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