City Harvest Church Backs Up Its Defamation Case—Because Someone Can’t Just Throw a Fake Shirt at a Pastor
Yesterday, the Church of City Harvest tossed a “fake‑fashion” photo into the legal realm, filing a police report after a doctored image of its founder, Kong Hee, went viral across social media.
The Mock‑up Gone Wrong
- The photo shows Kong, a 55‑year‑old pastor, wearing a plain white shirt that has a People’s Action Party (PAP) logo slapped on it in a complete digital twist.
- According to a note sent out on the Wednesday (July 8) to members, City Harvest had no clue that this was a manipulated photo that implied the pastor was an active PAP supporter.
- “Pastor Kong and City Harvest Church are not, and have never been, part of or in any way associated with any political party or institution,” the Church’s board clarified in a statement on its website.
Why This Matters
With a general election looming this Friday, the Church’s warning was all the more crucial. The photo, believed to have been taken last year, when Kong was released from prison, could have had real‑world political consequences.
The Bigger Picture
- Pastor Kong was released from jail on August 22, just a day shy of his 55th birthday, after serving time for misusing millions of dollars in church funds.
- He was the longest‑sentenced among six church leaders involved in one of Singapore’s most massive charity‑fund misappropriation cases—about $50 million in total.
- His sentence, originally eight years, was appealed down to three and a half years. He was set free after two years and four months—a typical one‑third remission for good behaviour.
The Verdict
City Harvest has now crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s by lodging a formal police report. It’s also asked Facebook to delete the fake image immediately, which means the Church is serious about protecting its reputation—and its people’s faith—from any accidental political baggage.
And a friendly final note: “This story first ran in The Straits Times. If you want to reprint, you’ll need permission.”
