Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party, also said he had filed a counter-claim against Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew over remarks made during the campaign for last November's general elections.

"I filed my defences. I filed a counter claim," Mr Chee said after he emerged from a closed-door hearing on the lawsuit at the High Court.

"The registrar is now also aware that I am applying for a QC [Queen's Counsel] and he is willing to adjourn the case until a QC is available."

Mr Chee said he had applied for Australian QC Stuart Littlemore to defend him against the leaders' charges.

Premier Goh Chok Tong and Mr Lee are suing Mr Chee for aggravated damages arising from claims by the opposition leader that S$17 billion (HK$71.4 billion) was lent to ousted Indonesian leader Suharto.

Mr Goh said the money was never disbursed to Indonesia as the loan, offered during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, had conditions attached and was not taken up by Suharto, who was overthrown in May 1998.

Mr Chee made the claims in the lead-up to the November 3 polls. He subsequently made a public apology and admitted making a false accusation, but later retracted these statements on the grounds that they were made under "duress and intimidation".

Leaders of the ruling People's Action Party over the years have won millions of dollars in lawsuits from opposition politicians who questioned their integrity.

Mr Chee last month filed a counter-lawsuit accusing Mr Lee of defaming him in the run-up to the general elections.

He said the former prime minister had called him a "political gangster, a liar and a cheat".

The People's Action Party won 82 of the 84 seats in the elections, extending its unbroken rule since 1959 by another five years.

Mr Chee lost heavily when he contested a multiple-seat constituency against a People's Action Party team.

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