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Agence France-Presse

A Singapore court on Monday ordered the prime minister’s estranged brother to pay damages to two cabinet ministers over a Facebook post they said was defamatory.
Lee Hsien Yang’s post related to a controversy over the rental of sprawling colonial bungalows by the Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who have both been cleared of any wrongdoing following two investigations.
The allegations he made that the two ministers were given preferential treatment, sparked an outcry in the city state, where most of the population lives in government-built high-rise flats.
Singapore invokes fake news law against Lee Hsien Yang over Facebook post
High Court Judge Goh Yihan said he issued the default judgment after Lee failed to respond to the charges.
The amount to be paid to the ministers will be determined at a separate hearing, he added.
He also directed Lee Hsien Yang, 66, to refrain from further disseminating the allegations claiming that the ministers acted “corruptly”.

The younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 71, fled the country last year following a family feud claiming political persecution – allegations that the government has denied.
He was served a court notice about the lawsuits through Facebook Messenger.
The Lee siblings have been at odds following the death in 2015 of their father, modern Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, over what to do with a historic family house after his passing.
The younger Lee and his sister, Lee Wei Ling, have accused their prime minister brother of going against their father’s wish to have the house demolished.
Singapore ministers demand Lee Hsien Yang apologise for ‘defaming’ them
They accused him of trying to capitalise on their father’s legacy to build a dynasty – a charge Lee Hsien Loong, has rejected.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Lee announced he will hand over power to a younger generation of leaders led by his deputy Lawrence Wong before the 2025 general elections.
If Wong takes over, it would be only the second time since Singapore’s independence in 1965 that the prime minister is not a member of the Lee family.
The patriarch Lee was the country’s first prime minister.


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Singapore

Singapore court orders PM’s estranged brother to pay damages to ministers, Shanmugam, Balakrishnan over Ridout Road post

Lee Hsien Yang, the brother of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was ordered to pay damages to two ministers over a defamatory Facebook post. Photo: AFP

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (left) and Law Minister K Shanmugam were awarded damages by a Singapore court over a defamatory Facebook post, from Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Singapore’s PM. Photo: dpa, SCMP

Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong will hand over power to deputy Lawrence Wong ‘before next general election’

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong speaks at a PAP convention on Sunday. Photo: PAP/Facebook

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, will hand over power to his anointed successor, Lawrence Wong, in 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE/MCI Handout

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gets emotional as he announces his plan for Lawrence Wong to succeed him ahead of the next general election. Photo: PAP/Facebook

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had in 2018 announced Heng Swee Keat would succeed him, but not long after the PAP’s relatively muted showing in the 2020 polls, Heng stepped aside. Photo: EPA-EFE

PAP supporters cheer ahead of the 2015 general election. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday said the ruling party would be “refreshed” ahead of its 70th birthday next year. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia, Singapore users on X slam Israeli activist’s bid to sow discord between neighbours: ‘we’re practically siblings’

Malaysian doctors and members of NGOs hold placards during a rally in Kuala Lumpur to show solidarity with Gaza’s doctors on November 16. Photo: EPA-EFE

Malaysians march in support of Palestinians in Gaza during a rally in Kuala Lumpur on October 28. Photo: Reuters

Malaysian doctors and members of non-governmental organisations hold placards and shout slogans during a rally in Kuala Lumpur to show solidarity with Gaza’s doctors on November 16. Photo: EPA-EFE

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana in Singapore on October 30. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s PM Lee orders ‘expeditious’ probe on rental of state properties by 2 ministers

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (left) and Law Minister K Shanmugam. Photo: dpa, SCMP

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (right) and senior minister Teo Chee Hean in 2015. Photo: AFP

The Holland Village district in Singapore. Photo: Singapore Tourism Board

Singapore PM’s ‘urgent’ probe of ministers K. Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan’s bungalow tenancy finds no wrongdoing

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (left) and Law Minister K. Shanmugam are seen in this composite picture. Photo: dpa, SCMP

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: AP

Singapore PM Lee retains ‘full confidence’ in ministers, says rental probe highlights firm anti-corruption stance

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (left) and Law Minister K Shanmugam are seen in this composite picture. Photo: dpa, SCMP

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had ordered an urgent investigation into the ministers’ leasing of the state-owned properties. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan has said his interview with the CPIB was “the most uncomfortable, invasive, intrusive [and] thorough process”. Photo: Reuters

Singapore’s Law Minister K. Shanmugam says the comments about his son’s alleged involvement in the renovation works as “utterly false and defamatory”. Photo: Reuters

Residential housing in Singapore. Minister K. Shanmugam said his climb up the property ladder did not decrease his ability to empathise with Singaporeans’ concerns. Photo: Bloomberg

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Singapore’s PM, was ordered to pay damages to 2 cabinet ministers over a Facebook post they said was defamatory
Lee’s post related to a controversy over the rental of colonial bungalows by the foreign affairs and law ministers, who have both been cleared of any wrongdoing


In a Facebook post, alleged that the Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan were given preferential treatment in renting colonial bungalows.


Lee Hsien Loong

Lee Kuan Yew

Lee family feud