Channelnewsasia.com: "SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew have decided to apply for a summary judgement from the High Court in their defamation case against Singapore Democratic Party's Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin.
This latest development comes after both leaders won in their defamation suit against the Singapore Democratic Party on June 7.
The High Court ruled in their favour after the SDP failed to file its defence.
This was for defamatory remarks made in the January edition of the party's newspaper against both the Prime Minister and the Minister Mentor.
If the court grants a summary judgement in their suits against the Chee siblings, the matter won't have to go to trial.
At Wednesday's hearing in chambers in the High Court, lawyers from Drew and Napier say both Dr Chee and Ms Chee will be writing to the two leaders to ask if they would agree to consolidate their two separate cases into one.
A reply from the Singapore leaders is expected by Monday.
The matter has been adjourned for a further two weeks and will come up again at the end of the month for a pre trial conference. - CNA /ct/ls
"
A view from overseas:
ReplyDeleteThe very heart of defamation law is the meaning actually conveyed by particular words.
By pursuing the defamation cases, LKY and LSL would be alleging CSJ and CSC have made untrue statements about them which have damaged their reputations in the eyes of the public.
LKY and LSL who claim to be defamed must state the defamatory meaning which they claim the published words bear. CSJ and CSC on the other hand would have a complete defence to the defamation claims if the published words were true.
The defendants appear to be well prepared with their defence.
A summary judgement in this instance is a dangerous precedent; will distance Singapore defamation law from much of the rest of the Commonwealth and clearly advantages the plaintiffs.
"Government is actually the worst failure of civilized man. There has never been a really good one, and even those that are most tolerable are arbitrary, cruel, grasping, and unintelligent.
ReplyDeleteEvery decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under."—Henry Louis Mencken
Steptoe & Son rummaging around in the junkyard, plotting another "scheme"?
Wot a comedy!