Defamation actions initiated by PAP leaders, heard to completion since 1959 (when the Peoples' Action Party first came to power).
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Actions by PAP politicians: |
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Year |
Litigants |
Damages awarded |
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1979 |
Lee Kwan Yew v Jeyaretnam |
S$130,000 |
|
1988 |
Lee Kwan Yew v Seow Khee Leng |
S$250,000 |
|
1989 |
Lee Kwan Yew v Jeyaretnam |
S$230,000 |
|
1990 |
Lee Kwan Yew his son, and Goh Chok Tong v International Herald Tribune |
S$650,000 |
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1994 |
Lee Kwan Yew v International Herald Tribune |
S$400,000 |
|
1996 |
Lee Kwan Yew & Son v Tang Liang Hong |
S$1,050,000 |
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Total |
$2,710.000 |
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Actions by Non- PAP politicians: |
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|
Year |
Litigants |
Damages awarded |
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1996 |
Company (imputation of incompetence) |
S$20,000 |
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1995 |
Importer (imputation of bogus goods) |
S$100,000 |
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1994 |
Bank (imputation of negligence) |
S$50,000 |
|
1992 |
Architect (imputation of fraud) |
S$60,000 |
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1992 |
Architect (imputation of unethical conduct) damages |
S$45,000 |
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1981 |
Lawyer (imputation of dishonesty) damages |
S$25,000 |
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1969 |
Lawyer (imputation of insolvency) |
S$7,350 |
Mr Jeyaretnam sued Goh Chok Tong in 1987 (Imputation of trickery; defence of fair comment) and failed; the Workers' Party sued two PAP members, one the Attorney General, in 1974 (imputation of accepting of accepting foreign funds; and subversion; defence of privilege), but failed.
1997:Goh Chok Tong and the ten other PAP leaders sued Workers' Party candidate, Mr Tang Liang Hong , who had alleged they conspired to defame him. Mr Tang fled the jurisdiction, stating that he feared for his life. In his absence, all eleven suits were heard and the plaintiffs won damages totalling S$5, 825,000:
Goh Chok Tong awarded damages of S$600,000, S$450,000 and S$350,000 (Total:S$1.4 million)
Lee Kwan Yew awarded damages of S$550,000, S$400,000 and S$300,000 (Total:S$1.25 million)
Lee Hsien Loong awarded damages of S$350,000
Tony Tan Keng Yam awarded damages of S$350,000
Lee Yok Suan awarded damages of S$300,000
Six other PAP members awarded damages of S$1,350,000 and $1,075,000.
Source: The Registrar of the High Court of Singapore
and International Commission of Jurists report Oct 1, 1997.