Skip to main content
Home The New Paper
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team

Popular

  • COURT & CRIME
  • Food & Drink
Singapore

PM Lee's libel suit adjourned to Nov 30 after blogger Leong Sze Hian decides to not take witness stand

Trial adjourned to Nov 30 as Leong decides not to give evidence
Senior Counsel Davinder Singh is acting for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the trial. TNP FILE PHOTO
Rei Kurohi
Oct 08, 2020 06:00 am
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • 0 Engagements

The hearing of the defamation lawsuit brought by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong against financial adviser Leong Sze Hian has been adjourned until Nov 30, when the court will hear further oral submissions.

Justice Aedit Abdullah yesterday ended the scheduled four-day hearing at the close of the second day, after Mr Leong's lawyer Lim Tean told the court he had advised his client that it was unnecessary for him to give evidence.

Mr Lim noted that there were nine issues before the court, and said the burden of proof for eight of them lies with PM Lee, who is suing Mr Leong for sharing an article from Malaysian news site The Coverage.

The article had falsely linked PM Lee to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal in Malaysia.

These issues included whether or not the offending words in the post Mr Leong had shared on his Facebook page should be understood to mean that he was suggesting PM Lee was complicit in criminal activity in the 1MDB scandal and helped former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak to launder money.

The one issue in which the burden of proof lies with Mr Leong is whether or not PM Lee's decision to sue him is an abuse of court process, said Mr Lim.

‘Sugar daddy agent’ jailed after duping women for sex
Singapore

'Sugar daddy agent' jailed after duping women for sex

Apr 21, 2021

Related Stories

Corrective training, caning for ex-teacher who sexually abused teens

Ex-judge fined, banned from driving for 7 months for traffic offences

Record haul of cannabis and heroin seized in CNB raid

This, too, will be dealt with in his submissions, he added.

PM Lee's lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, said Mr Lim's reasons were not credible as nothing he had said was new.

"He and his client have always known that, but for the issue of abuse of process, the burden of proof on the issues lies with the plaintiff. Further, he and the defendant have always known what our case was on each issue."

Mr Singh noted that Mr Leong's affidavit had said he would present himself for cross-examination.

"Therefore it is my submission that the defendant has never had any intention of taking the stand to be cross-examined and what is today being said as the reasons for him not doing so are, with the greatest respect, contrived," he added.

Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now

COURT & CRIME

Rei Kurohi

Read articles by Rei Kurohi
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • Newslink -  Purchase this article for republication

Top Stories this Month

Two friends found dead in Singapore River rescue tragedy
Singapore

Two friends found dead in S'pore River rescue tragedy

Apr 19, 2021
HDB sorry after single mum gets keys to ‘horror’ rental
Singapore

HDB sorry after single mum gets keys to 'horror' rental

Apr 19, 2021
Vaccinated and it feels so... ow!
Lifestyle

S M Ong: Vaccinated and it feels so... ow!

Apr 19, 2021
Home
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contact TNP
  • About SPH
  • Privacy Statement
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Member Terms & Conditions
  • Website Terms & Conditions
SPH Digital News Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E