Jeyaretnam, declared bankrupt, to lose seat - Paper

SINGAPORE'S vociferous opposition leader Joshua Jeyaretnam stands to lose his parliamentary seat after being declared a bankrupt following a defamation suit, the Straits Times newspaper said today.

The High Court issued the bankruptcy ruling on Friday after Jeyaretnam, head of opposition Workers' Party, failed to keep up with payments on S$30,000 (US$17,400) in damages arising from the lost defamation suit, the newspaper said.

Under Singapore law, bankrupts cannot sit in parliament. Jeyaretnam will also be prohibited from practising law.

No comment was immediately available from the 74-year-old lawyer on whether he would appeal against the order or pay the debt.

The defamation suit stemmed from an article in the opposition party's publication which referred to several people of Indian heritage including some members of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

A court in 1998 ordered Jeyaretnam, editor of the publication, the author of the article and the party to pay damages totalling S$265,000.

Jeyaretnam became the first man to break the monopoly of the PAP when he was elected in 1981. His verbal jousts with then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in parliament became the stuff of legend as he launched blistering accusations that the government was curtailing civil liberties and freedom of the press.

Many of Singapore's best-known opposition leaders have faced legal action brought by the government or members of the PAP.

Critics say the actions and huge damages have had a chilling effect on political activity. PAP leaders counter that they act only as necessary to defend their good names and integrity when unfairly attacked.

The Singapore Sunday Times, May 7, said Mr Jeyaretnam is trying to save his Non-Constituency MP seat in parliament after the High Court made him a bankrupt May 5.

He told the paper that he is appealing against the bankruptcy order, which was issued after he failed to pay up fully S$31,387 he owes to lawyer R Kalamohan, who won a suit for defamation against Mr Jeyaretnam.

He said yesterday that he was asking Mr Tan Soo Khoon, the Speaker of Parliament, to let him keep his seat in the House pending the outcome of the appeal to be filed by tomorrow. Mr Jeyaretnam, who has already given up his law practice after being a lawyer since 1963, cannot remain as an MP if his appeal is unsuccessful and if he fails to pay up the debt.