PUBLISHED ONOctober 01, 2024 5:15 AMByClaudia TanMinister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam has responded to Lee Hsien Yang's claims about the $619,335.53 in damages paid to him and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.
In a Facebook post on Sept 29, Lee claimed the amount he paid to the two ministers was "equivalent to 13.6 months' rental for the two Ridout houses".
Pointing out that his "significant asset" in Singapore is 38 Oxley Road, Lee said that he made the payment to honour his late father's wishes in connection with his home. He also did it to allow his ill sister, Wei Ling, to continue living in the house.
Responding to these claims, Shanmugam and Dr Balakrishnan said in separate Facebook posts on Tuesday (Oct 1) that Lee's claims about honouring his father's wishes were "extraordinary".
"Mr Lee Hsien Yang knows that the defamation cases have nothing to do with Mr Lee Kuan Yew," they wrote.
Shanmugam also pointed out that Lee failed to mention he owns at least one other asset in Singapore, "whose value would have been more than sufficient to satisfy his debt".
That asset would have been subject to enforcement if Lee did not pay on the judgement.
Shanmugam reiterated that the damages he and Dr Balakrishnan received would be donated to charity.
Addressing Lee's comment about not going to the court in England, Shanmugam explained that they were suing him regarding statements which were published in Singapore, and primarily concerned Singaporeans.
Lee had no answer, he said.
"Now, he says that 'it is unfortunate that the ministers chose not to pursue the case in the English courts'. That is still not an answer.
"We urged him to cross-examine us and be cross-examined, in the full view of everyone, so that he can show Singapore, and the rest of the world, that he is right and we are wrong."
He, however, did not turn up in court, and did not appeal after he was ordered to pay $200,000 to each minister for defamation in May.
Lee, the younger son of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, had made a Facebook post in July 2023, accusing both ministers of receiving preferential treatment from the Singapore Land Authority for the rental of two state bungalows along Ridout Road.
An independent investigation conducted by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had found no evidence of wrongdoing or corruption.
claudiatan@asiaone.com
