Defamation case underscores “grave” accusations touching on integrity and professional reputation, say ministers’ legal team.
SINGAPORE: The damages hearing for the defamation case involving allegations made by Lee Hsien Yang against Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan took place at the Supreme Court on May 2. While the two ministers were present, Mr. Lee, who has been overseas since 2022, did not attend.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, stems from Facebook posts in which Mr. Lee accused the ministers of corruption and personal gain regarding their rental of two black-and-white bungalows on Ridout Road. He alleged that the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) provided preferential treatment, including illegal tree felling and funding renovations.
In a July 2023 Facebook post, Mr. Shanmugam denied the allegations, labeling them as “false.” Both ministers demanded that Mr. Lee retract his statements, apologize, and pay damages. However, Mr. Lee doubled down on his claims, leading to his issuance of a correction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). Despite this, he reiterated his stance in a subsequent post.
Court Proceedings
Justice Goh Yihan ruled in favor of the ministers in November 2023, ordering Mr. Lee to pay damages. Represented by lawyer Davinder Singh, the ministers emphasized the serious nature of the allegations during the 20-minute damages hearing.
In their written statement to the court, the legal team highlighted that the accusations directly attacked the claimants’ integrity, professional reputation, and honor, stating:
“The defendant’s defamatory allegations against the claimants are of the gravest kind. The claimants are public leaders and persons of the highest integrity whose standings are beyond question.”
Parliamentary Review
The Ridout Road rentals were a topic of Parliamentary debate in July 2023, following investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and a review by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. Both inquiries cleared the ministers of any wrongdoing, affirming that proper procedures had been followed.
The court has yet to determine the amount of damages, with Mr. Singh noting that multiple attempts were made to inform Mr. Lee of the proceedings.
This high-profile case underscores the weight of defamatory statements involving public figures, particularly when they question professional and personal integrity.
