SINGAPORE – In a scandal that has captivated the nation, Mr. Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore's founding Prime Minister, has been ordered to pay over $600,000 to Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan for defamation stemming from a Facebook post he made about their rental of two bungalows on Ridout Road.

The legal battle began last July when Lee accused the ministers of leveraging their government positions to gain preferential treatment from the Singapore Land Authority. He alleged unethical actions, such as the removal of trees and funding for renovations on the government-owned residences, raising eyebrows regarding the integrity of public service.

In a follow-up post on September 29, 2023, Lee revealed the hefty sum of $619,335.53 he paid to the ministers, emphasizing it was equivalent to 13.6 months' rental for the two properties. He expressed disappointment that the ministers opted not to pursue the case in English courts, implying a lack of transparency in the proceedings. Lee further stated that he made the payment to honor his late father's legacy concerning their family home at 38 Oxley Road, which he termed his "significant asset" in Singapore. He mentioned his sister, Dr. Lee Wei Ling, who is currently ill, and lamented the need to ensure her continued residence at the family home.

However, the ministers swiftly rebutted Lee's claims, stating on October 1 that his accusations were baseless and deliberately misleading. They noted that he failed to respond to their challenges during the court proceedings, leaving them no choice but to pursue a legal remedy. Mr. Shanmugam and Dr. Balakrishnan urged Lee to confront them openly in court, emphasizing his absence when it was his turn to defend himself.

This legal saga didn’t begin in isolation; Lee had previously received a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act just two days after his defamatory post. While he acknowledged the correction, he defiantly maintained his stance in another post. Ultimately, he ignored demands from the ministers to apologize and retract his statements, instead prompting them to file lawsuits against him.

In November 2023, the High Court ruled in favor of the ministers after Lee failed to appear as required. Each minister was awarded $200,000 in damages, highlighting the court's finding of malice given Lee’s knowledge of the falsehood in his claims.

In a twist, the ministers made sure to reiterate their intention to donate the damages to charity, dismissing Lee's arguments about the payments' relation to the family's heritage and claiming he conveniently overlooked other real estate holdings that could cover his debts.

The case comes on the heels of a report from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) that cleared the ministers of any wrongdoing in the property rentals. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean independently reviewed the situation, confirming that all processes related to the rentals were conducted appropriately.

As the legal battle unfolds, observers are left to wonder: What implications does this saga hold for the Lee family legacy and Singapore’s political landscape? Will this incident affect the reputations of the ministers involved, or will it be dismissed as a familial feud? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story!