Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 21 April 2006 2146 hrs
PM Lee, MM Lee demand apology from SDP for NKF remarks
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee
Kuan Yew are demanding an apology from the Singapore Democratic
Party's Central Executive Committee for remarks made in the latest
issue of its party newspaper, The New Democrat.
These were contained in an article - both in English and in Chinese
- on the National Kidney Foundation issue.
The letters of demand were also served on Friday to the printing
company which printed the newspaper.
The article in question is headlined: "Govt's role in the NKF
scandal".
A captioned photograph in the same newspaper, which showed a group
of protestors outside the CPF Building, was also singled out as
having caused offence.
The photo showed the protesters holding a placard and wearing
T-shirts with the words "HDB, GIC, NKF and CPF".
Acting for the Prime Minister, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh says
that in their ordinary meaning and innuendo, both the words and the
photograph had alleged that Mr Lee Hsien Loong is dishonest and
unfit for office.
The SDP had also alleged that as Prime Minister, Mr Lee has
perpetuated a corrupt political system for the benefit of the
political elite.
These allegations were based on the premise that the government had
access to the information which has now been unearthed about the
NKF, but concealed it to avoid criticism.
They also implied that the Prime Minister condones or permits
corruption in institutions such as the Housing and Development
Board, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and the
Central Provident Fund.
As for the photograph, Mr Davinder says the Chinese words that
accompanied it were published maliciously, and calculated to gain
political mileage by disparaging Mr Lee Hsien Loong and impugning
his character and integrity.
Similarly, in Mr Lee Kuan Yew's letter of demand, it was stated
that the words and photograph also implied that, like the Prime
Minister, the Minister Mentor is also dishonest and unfit for
office.
And if the defamatory allegations were true, Mr Lee Kuan Yew was
guilty of corruption, nepotism, criminal conduct, dishonesty, had
advanced the interests of his family at the expense of the needs of
Singapore, had misled Parliament and had covered his tracks to
avoid criticism.
Another allegation was that Mr Lee Kuan Yew had managed the
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation in a corrupt
manner.
In the Minister Mentor's demand letter to Dr Chee Soon Juan, the
SDP Chief was also reminded that he had defamed Mr Lee Kuan Yew on
28 October 2001, and had published an apology a few days
later.
Then, he undertook not to make any further similar allegations or
statements.
However, Mr Davinder noted that Dr Chee has deliberately and
maliciously breached this undertaking.
The SDP, its 12 members and its printer, Sum Kwai Lum trading as
Melodies Press Company, have till 10am next Tuesday (April 25) to
respond to the demands for an apology.
This apology, according to the text set out in the letters of
demand, is to be published in two local dailies on April 27,
failing which both leaders will sue all parties involved. -
CNA/ch
