30-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) Lee Hsien Yang, the brother of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has responded to Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan’s announcement that they intend to sue him over false allegations about Ridout Road. Lee had claimed that both ministers had “leased state-owned mansions from the agency that one of them controls, felling trees and getting state-sponsored renovations”.
Following this, Lee was issued a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) for his post. However, Lee put up another Facebook post two days later, saying he stood by his words, despite the POFMA order and that the notice was misleading.
In response, both Vivian and Shanmugam posted on Facebook, stating that Lee accused both ministers of “acting corruptly and for personal gain by having Singapore Land Authority (“SLA”) give us preferential treatment by illegally felling trees without approval, and also having SLA pay for renovations to 26 and 31 Ridout Road. These allegations are false.” The ministers asked that Lee “apologise, withdraw his allegations and pay damages which [they] will donate to charity”. If not, they will sue him.
However, on July 29, Lee claimed in a new Facebook post that his post on July 23 did not “assert that Shanmugam and V Balakrishnan acted corruptly or for personal gain” regarding 26 and 31 Ridout Road. He stated that his post simply stated facts that were already widely published in the Singapore and international media.
Lee invited both ministers to sue him in the UK if they believe they have a real case. The identity of the tenants had no bearing on the decision on the works to be carried out on the properties, according to the Ministry of Law on government fact-checker site Factually. The ministry highlighted that most of the costs incurred for 26 and 31 Ridout Road were for works that external consultants determined were necessary and were done in accordance with Singapore Land Authority’s (SLA) practice and were assessed to be necessary in the circumstances.
