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- Aug 14, 2008
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There was only one occasion in the past when any leader of the PAP tried to sue someone outside of Singapore for defamation.
And that was almost a quarter of a century ago.
The present ministers in Singapore probably don't know about that incident.
After Devan Nair moved to Hamilton, Canada, in 1995 LKY sued Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail in 1999 in Canada over an article published in the Globe and Mail.
LKY took offence at the content of an article entitled "Singapore Sage", which appeared on March 29, 1999, in the Globe & Mail. The article was written in Canada by Marcus Gee and included an interview Devan Nair had given to the Globe and Mail.
Lee brought a defamation action in Canada for damages against The Globe and Mail and against Devan Nair claiming that both Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail had defamed him. Lee alleged that Nair was wrong in accusing Lee for labeling Nair an alcoholic.
Devan Nair counter-sued LKY.
LKY tried to get Devan Nair's counterclaim struck out, but LKY lost.
Knowing what the likely outcome of his legal action against Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail was going to be if he proceeded to trial, Lee withdrew his entire action for defamation against Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail.
That's what happened when PAP leaders brought legal actions outside Singapore.
At least LKY had the good sense to know that he could not sue Devan Nair in Singapore.
Unfortunately the present lot of Singapore's ministers don't even know that they can't bring an action for defamation in Singapore when the words that they claim to be defamatory take place outside of Singapore.
This is despite the fact that one of them is a Senior Counsel as well as the Minister of Law.
And that was almost a quarter of a century ago.
The present ministers in Singapore probably don't know about that incident.
After Devan Nair moved to Hamilton, Canada, in 1995 LKY sued Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail in 1999 in Canada over an article published in the Globe and Mail.
LKY took offence at the content of an article entitled "Singapore Sage", which appeared on March 29, 1999, in the Globe & Mail. The article was written in Canada by Marcus Gee and included an interview Devan Nair had given to the Globe and Mail.
Lee brought a defamation action in Canada for damages against The Globe and Mail and against Devan Nair claiming that both Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail had defamed him. Lee alleged that Nair was wrong in accusing Lee for labeling Nair an alcoholic.
Devan Nair counter-sued LKY.
LKY tried to get Devan Nair's counterclaim struck out, but LKY lost.
Knowing what the likely outcome of his legal action against Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail was going to be if he proceeded to trial, Lee withdrew his entire action for defamation against Devan Nair and the Globe and Mail.
That's what happened when PAP leaders brought legal actions outside Singapore.
At least LKY had the good sense to know that he could not sue Devan Nair in Singapore.
Unfortunately the present lot of Singapore's ministers don't even know that they can't bring an action for defamation in Singapore when the words that they claim to be defamatory take place outside of Singapore.
This is despite the fact that one of them is a Senior Counsel as well as the Minister of Law.
