Dear Editor,
I refer to 'Blog started with the aim 'to call for change'' by Lee Jian Xuan in the Straits Times of 29/5/14.
Your writer noted that Mr Roy Ngerng, who is now facing a defamation suit by the Prime Minister, is homosexual.
It is entirely untrue, as your writer claims, that Mr Ngerng came to prominence when he "revealed" his sexuality in his blog. Mr Ngerng came to prominence for his writings on matters of serious public importance which have attracted almost two million hits since he began.
Mr Ngerng's sexuality is no more an issue in the defamation action than Mr Lee Hsien Loong's sexuality or indeed the sexuality of any other person involved in this case.
This is clearly an attempt by your newspaper to besmirch Mr Ngerng's character by alluding to his homosexuality which continues to have negative connotations among some sections of the population.
Despite your newspaper's professed support for the People's Action Party, a support that the Prime Minister's father achieved by bringing it under government control, this attempt to paint Mr Ngerng in a negative light so far as your more conservative readers are considered is deeply repugnant. It is contrary to the most basic standards of journalism.
Your writer and his editor should be ashamed of themselves for their deliberate effort to discredit Mr Ngerng by reporting on a matter which Mr Ngerng has never hidden but which you have used in a disgraceful bid to portray Mr Ngerng negatively.
I hope you will have the decency to apologise to Mr Ngerng.
Yours sincerely,
Vincent Wijeysingha