The Earth Times
26 May 2008
Singapore - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong testified in Singapore's High Court Monday that his lawsuit against two bankrupt political opponents and their opposition party was aimed at "putting a stop to poisonous lies."Lee and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew are pressing for aggravated damages against Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan, his sister and executive member Chee Siok Chin, as well as the party organization itself.
The senior Lee, the island's first premier and father of the current prime minister, was expected to be cross-examined on Tuesday.
His son stressed the integrity and competence of the Singapore government. It is not a government "based on power and greed" as claimed by the SDP, he said from the witness box.
Lawyer M Ravi represented the SDP. Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin were representing themselves, marking the first time any leader of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has been cross-examined by a political opponent in open court.
The PAP holds all but two of the seats in the 84-member parliament and has dominated the political scene since independence from Malaysia in 1965.
Both Lees won a defamation suit against the SDP for remarks in the party's newsletter after obtaining a summary judgement from the court in 2006.
If the SDP is unable to pay up, the 28-year-old party faces the prospect of dissolution.
Chee Soon Juan, Singapore's most vocal opposition leader, was declared bankrupt following a defamation award of 500,000 Singapore dollars (373,000 US dollars) in February 2006 toLee Kuan Yew and another former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong. He is barred from running for parliament until 2011.
His sister was declared bankrupt for failing to pay costs related to a protest last year.
The offence, on which justice Belinda Ang found for the two Lees, stemmed from articles that appeared before the 2006 general election, drawing parallels between a scandal in the National Kidney Foundation and the government.
The Lees sued over remarks which alleged they were corrupt and covered up wrongdoings at the foundation.
Lee said the lawsuit was not about money, but about "putting a stop to poisonous lies and to establish the truth."
Activists and critics, including Amnesty International, say Singapore's leaders use defamation lawsuits to cripple opposition politicians.
The government maintains such legal action is necessary to safeguard the leaders' reputation.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/207969,lawsuit-aimed-at-stopping-poisonous-lies-premier-says--summary.html
