[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: The trial of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s libel suit against writer and financial adviser Leong Sze Hian began on Tuesday (October 6).
The trial will last the remainder of the week before Judge Aedit Abdullah, with Mr. Lee represented. by lead attorney Davinder Singh and a team of attorneys, and opposition politician Lim Tean representing Mr. Leong.
Lee, 68, sued Leong in late 2018 over a public Facebook post the latter shared on his page on November 7, 2018, which contained a link to an article from Malaysian website The Coverage.
The article alleged that Lee had helped former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak launder money in connection with scandal-stricken Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Lee’s attorneys said the post contained “false and unsubstantiated” allegations that were “highly defamatory,” including an allegedly libelous accusation that Lee was “an accessory to criminal activity related to 1MDB.”
Leong, 66, said in December 2018 that he had complied with a notice from the Information and Communications Media Development Authority on November 10 to remove the offending post, adding that he had “simply shared” the article without comment. .
READ: Leong Sze Hian files defense and counterclaim against PM Lee for alleged defamation
After the lawsuit was filed, Mr. Leong’s attorney filed a counterclaim alleging that Mr. Lee’s defamation lawsuit was an abuse of the court, but this was dismissed by the High Court and later by the Court of Appeal.
The high court ordered Mr. Leong to pay the prime minister’s costs of S $ 20,000 in September last year, after reiterating that the court’s abuse argument was not part of Singapore law and that a plaintiff is entitled to choose who to sue. defamation.
Mr. Lee arrived by car shortly after 9:30 am on Tuesday, wearing a gray suit and pale green tie. He greeted the people in the public gallery as he entered the courtroom. There is a 20 person limit due to COVID-19 safe distancing measures.
Mr. Lim and Mr. Leong gave statements to the media outside the Supreme Court before entering around 9.45 am, and Mr. Leong said that he was armed only with the “sword of truth”.
Members of the public queued for tickets to the public gallery from 5.30am and tickets were issued before 7am
The trial comes after Leong’s lawyer was arrested on Friday for alleged breaches of trust and stalking.
He was released later that day.
