SINGAPORE – Cabinet ministers K. Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan are suing Mr Lee Hsien Yang in Singapore for libel as his comments about their rental of Ridout Road bungalows were meant for Singaporeans.
Explaining why the ministers decided to take legal action here instead of in Britain, where Mr Lee was located when he made the comments in question, Mr Shanmugam said Mr Lee’s statements “related to events in Singapore, and were meant primarily for a Singaporean audience”.
“We have sued Mr Lee for a libel that was published to the people in Singapore, which concerns Singaporeans, and which is based on the laws of Singapore,” said Mr Shanmugam in a Facebook post on Thursday night.
Mr Lee’s primary audience was not in Britain, said Mr Shanmugam, who is Minister for Home Affairs and Law.
“What Mr Lee really wants is special treatment. He wants to be treated differently from Singaporeans (and even foreigners) who are sued in Singapore for defamation,” he said,
“Mr Lee should explain why he is entitled to make libellous statements, and yet be exempt from the rules that apply to the rest of us.”
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The comments in question were made in a public post on Mr Lee’s Facebook page on July 23, and concern the rental of two bungalows in Ridout Road.
Mr Lee, who is the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, had written that the “two ministers have leased state-owned mansions from the agency that one of them controls, felling trees and getting state-sponsored renovations”, among other claims.
Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said on Facebook earlier on Thursday that the two ministers declined his suggestion to have the case heard in London.
“I have since responded to suggest the following means of resolution: that we mutually agree to an independent arbitration, where we each choose an arbitrator of high international standing,” he said.
The two arbitrators could in turn appoint a third arbitrator. The proceedings would be conducted privately, but the decision would be made public, with it being final and binding on all parties, added Mr Lee.
Mr Shanmugam and Dr Balakrishnan, who is Foreign Minister, had filed separate defamation suits in the High Court against Mr Lee on Aug 2.
They are seeking damages and an injunction to restrain Mr Lee from publishing or disseminating the allegations he made, which they assert are false and defamatory.
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According to court documents, their lawyers had sent Mr Lee a letter on July 27, demanding the removal of the offending post and all related comments. It also demanded that a public apology be put up on his Facebook page for four weeks.
The ministers had also sought damages of $25,000 each in the letter, which they said they would donate to charity.
However, Mr Lee responded two days later and said he was simply stating the facts. He added that the ministers should sue him in Britain, where he is located.
Eventually, an application to serve court papers to him via Facebook Messenger was made, owing to the impracticality of serving them in person.
Said Mr Shanmugam: “For decades now, countless Singaporeans have sued in the Singapore Courts for defamation that is published to people in Singapore. These cases are decided by our impartial judiciary, which applies the law.”
“If Mr Lee thinks that there is no basis for the legal action, he should welcome the opportunity to defend himself in open court, where he can cross-examine us, and we can cross-examine him in the full view of the Singapore public.”
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
