Justice Belinda Ang said this at the end of a three-day hearing to determine defamation damages that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Chee siblings have to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Dr Chee had been found guilty of defamation over allegations of government corruption made in an SDP newsletter ahead of general elections in May 2006. The SDP and Ms Chee were named as co-defendants.

During the hearings this week, PM Lee and MM Lee took the witness stand to press their case, allowing the defendants to cross-examine them. But the conduct of the defendants while cross-examining the two Singapore leaders had not gone unnoticed.

On the final day of the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Ang cited a list of behaviour which she said scandalised and impugned the dignity of the court, such as disobeying instructions, interrupting counsel and witnesses and accusing the court of bias. The Chees will be given the opportunity to respond on Friday.

After lawyers from both sides presented their closing arguments, the court reserved judgement on the quantum of damages to be awarded.

SDP’s defence lawyer, M Ravi, said the court had become a spectacle for the ventilation of political hostility. He said the court is no longer an appropriate forum to conduct political battles under the guise of a defamation suit.

He asked for nominal damages of 50 cents to be awarded, because he said the plaintiffs had not proved their reputation had been seriously harmed.

Responding to that, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh said a submission of 50 cents amounts to serious aggravation because it demeans the process and suggests that it is perfectly alright to run down the two plaintiffs.

Mr Singh had asked for aggravated damages as Dr Chee had repeated allegations of nepotism, corruption and criminal conduct during the trial. He said the Chees had acted recklessly, aggressively and attacked the integrity of the plaintiffs.

In his closing submission, Dr Chee said he stood by what was published in the SDP newsletter the New Democrat and that even if he had to go deeper into bankruptcy, it was a path he could not run away from.

He added he does not wish the Prime Minister or Minister Mentor any ill will ’despite what they have done and continue to do to me and my family’.

Dr Chee is already a bankrupt after failing to pay S$420,000 in libel damages to MM Lee and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong for remarks he made in the 2001 elections. But the SDP chief would not be taking up MM Lee’s advice to pay up the damages so as to participate in the political process. — CNA/ir
          

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