27-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) Law and Home Affairs Minister, K Shanmugam, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, have taken legal action against Mr Lee Hsien Yang for defamation related to their rental of black-and-white bungalows at Ridout Road.
The issue arose when Mr Lee Hsien Yang, who is the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, accused both ministers of engaging in corrupt practices and seeking personal gain. He alleged that the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) provided them with preferential treatment by illegally cutting down trees without approval and funding renovations for properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.
Denying these accusations, Mr Shanmugam stated in a Facebook post that the claims made by Mr Lee Hsien Yang were entirely false. The ministers have demanded an apology from him, the withdrawal of his allegations, and the payment of damages, which they intend to donate to charity. If Mr Lee Hsien Yang fails to comply, they will proceed with legal action against him.
This matter initially came to light in early May, when opposition politician and Reform Party chief, Mr Jeyaretnam, questioned whether the ministers were paying below the fair market value for renting the two state properties along Ridout Road. Subsequent investigations, including those conducted by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, revealed no evidence of criminal misconduct or preferential treatment towards the ministers.
In response to Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s multiple Facebook posts on the subject, one of which was made on July 23, the Law Ministry invoked the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) to issue a correction direction. The ministry deemed some of the statements contained in his post to be untrue.
National Development Minister, Desmond Lee, also weighed in on the matter. Writing on the ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) website in his capacity as the party’s assistant secretary-general, Mr Desmond Lee expressed sadness at Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s actions, viewing them as a vendetta aimed at undermining both the government and the PAP, the party founded by their father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Mr Desmond Lee further accused Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife, Mrs Lee Suet Fern, of misleading their father in executing his last will and testament. He referred to a disciplinary tribunal that concluded that Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s explanations were “downright dishonest” and that he had no qualms about lying under oath.
