Man apologises to Shanmugam for 'fake, scandalous statements' on alleged affair

A man has publicly apologised to Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam for making defamatory statements about him online about an alleged affair. 

Gordon Ong posted the apology on his personal Facebook post on Thursday (Aug 18), admitting that he had, "published fake, scandalous statements" about Shanmugam on various Facebook pages, including his own on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

He added that he had also made reference to another post by an imposter pretending to be the Law Minister's wife, Jothie Rajah. 

"I sent these falsehoods actively on no less than 92 occasions on those two days," wrote Ong. 

"I apologise unreservedly to Mr K Shanmugam for making these false and scandalous statements." 

He has since removed the statements and promised not to publish any further statements on the matter. 

"What I did was wrong, and I am very sorry for what I did," Ong wrote.

On Tuesday, Shanmugam, 64, made two separate Facebook posts rubbishing recirculating claims that he had an affair with an MP. 

"I have been told that an old post, fake news, is being recirculated — that I had an affair with an MP," Shanmugam wrote.

"False, baseless allegations. Have asked my lawyers to look at it and am also considering other options."

He explained that the post was written by an imposter pretending to be his ex wife "many years ago". 

Shanmugam said he wanted to file a police report then, but did not do so as the matter died down. 

"I see that people are deliberately recirculating that post. This time I will file a police report," he wrote on Tuesday. 

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claudiatan@asiaone.com