SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Supreme Court has thrown out an appeal by
the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) in its defamation case
involving Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee
Kuan Yew.
The magazine had been found guilty of defaming the two leaders
in an article published in the July—August 2006 issue, which quoted
Mr Chee Soon Juan, secretary—general of the Singapore Democratic
Party.
FEER had appealed the verdict, but judges Chan Sek Keong, Andrew
Phang Boon Leong and Judith Prakash on Wednesday dismissed the
appeal with costs.
The court agreed with the earlier judgement that the words used
in FEER’s article, written by its Editor Hugo Restall, were indeed
defamatory to both Prime Minister Lee and Minister Mentor Lee.
The prime minister and minister mentor were represented by
lawyers Davinder Singh and Wilson Wong from Drew & Napier.
The next stage is to assess the damages to be awarded to both
leaders.
— CNA/sc
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Is our judicial system really impartial?