Democracy News

Singaporean Opposition Party Ordered to Pay Defamation Damages to Prime Minister
By Lauren Crook
October 15, 2008 | Printer Friendly

The International Herald Tribune reports that Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin, two sibling leaders of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party, were ordered by Singapore’s High Court to pay $415,800 to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The charges resulted from criticism of the government in a 2006 article in the party’s newspaper which was then deemed libelous. The actions of the court have been cited by critics as a misuse of defamation laws as a “political weapon” against those who oppose the current regime.

This is not the first time that Singapore’s leaders have used the lawsuits to “crush opposition,” but the government believes that it is their right to impose restrictions on speech and assembly to “protect their reputations against defamatory remarks” and to “preserve the economic prosperity and racial stability” of the country. The documents issued by the court upon the sentencing of the Chees asserted that “‘the libel struck at the core’ of the Lees' ‘life achievements and personalities’, and the damages took into account ‘the position, standing and reputation’ of the Lees.”

Although no deadline has been set for the repayment, Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin along with six others have stated that they will not pay because they are still bankrupt from libel payments and legal costs resulting from previous lawsuits. If the new damages are not paid, SDP may be pressured to declare bankruptcy and effectively “forced out of existence.” Even with his current situation, Chee Soon Juan is determined not to abandon the cause, declaring that "It's not unexpected. But it's not going to deter us from doing what we have been doing, and that is speaking up for issues that Singaporeans should know about."

References:

Reuters: Singapore PM, Lee Kuan Yew win defamation damages

New York Times: Singapore – Damages Set in Political Case

International Herald Tribune: Singaporean opposition party ordered to pay PM