Singapore Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng were awarded $230,000 in damages each by the High Court against Bloomberg and its journalist Low De Wei over a defamatory article.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng had sued Bloomberg and its reporter Low De Wei over a December 2024 article on GCB transactions...
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.
“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 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. 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.
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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