Defamation suit protects Singapore ministers' standing

SINGAPORE – The defamation suit against Bloomberg and its reporter had been initiated to protect the standing of their ministerial offices, said Cabinet ministers K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng on July 14.

Shanmugam, who is Coordinating Minister for National Security, said the publication and the journalist had published malicious statements which attacked the standing of the ministerial office and them as senior public leaders.

He added: “This is why I chose to bring defamation proceedings despite having to subject myself to public scrutiny and cross-examination in court.

“If irresponsible outlets like Bloomberg get away with publishing lies and falsehoods about public officers, it will set a new norm.

“It will mean that anyone wanting to serve the public will have to face an additional obstacle – that well-funded organisations like Bloomberg will use lies to attack them, put them down and seek to destroy their reputations.”

Shanmugam, who is also Home Affairs Minister, said this happens in many countries, and as a result, many good people do not come forward to serve the public.

“Public interest as a whole suffers in these countries,” he added.

“Organisations like Bloomberg should not be allowed to get away with such irresponsible conduct in Singapore.”

The ministers had issued separate statements on social media after the High Court awarded them $230,000 in damages each, with the judge finding that Bloomberg and its journalist had maliciously defamed both men.

Tan, who is Manpower Minister, said the court’s judgment has affirmed that the allegations conveyed by the article were defamatory and vindicated his position.

He said that this case has been about protecting his integrity and reputation, and the standing of the office he held.

Said Tan: “Political office-holders must discharge our duties with integrity and be open to scrutiny and legitimate criticism.

“Equally, media reporting should be fair and accurate, particularly where it concerns allegations that can seriously damage an individual’s reputation. I remain focused on the work of serving Singapore and Singaporeans.”

Shanmugam and Tan had sued Bloomberg for defamation over the article on transactions involving good class bungalows (GCBs) in Singapore.

The article, published on Dec 12, 2024, mentioned the ministers’ property deals in 2023 – the sale of Shanmugam’s former home in the Queen Astrid Park area to UBS Trustees for $88 million and Tan’s non-caveated purchase of a bungalow in Brizay Park for nearly $27.3 million.

In her judgment, Justice Audrey Lim found that real estate reporter Low De Wei, who wrote the article, knew certain information used was false, or had published without caring whether it was true.

Shanmugam noted that the court had highlighted that the nature of Bloomberg and Low’s defamatory conduct was grave and warranted aggravated damages.

They were each awarded $170,000 in general damages and $60,000 in aggravated damages.

Shanmugam said the court found that by falsely alleging that the ministers had deliberately structured their property dealings to escape examination for possible money laundering, Bloomberg and Low had directly impugned their personal integrity, character and professional reputation.

In his post, Shanmugam said the court’s findings represent serious misconduct on the part of Bloomberg.

He said: “The article and its falsehoods have also spun off further lies from others, such as that the proceeds of my sale were paid directly to me entirely in cash to circumvent money laundering checks or that I had received more monies because the buyer used a trust.

“These are completely untrue. The fact that there would be such other assertions, based on the article and the trial, was entirely predictable.”

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