Bloomberg decides not to appeal defamation case involving Singapore ministers

AI-summarized · Neutrality-checked

Bloomberg and reporter Low De Wei declined to appeal a High Court ruling that found them liable for defaming Singapore Senior Minister K Shanmugam and Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng in a December 2024 article. The court previously ordered the news outlet and the reporter to pay S$230,000 in damages to each minister, alongside S$423,000 in costs and disbursements. The litigation stemmed from a Bloomberg article that linked the ministers' Good Class Bungalow transactions to a broader report on money laundering and financial secrecy, an implication the judge found defamatory. By failing to appeal by the deadline, the court's findings regarding malice and wrongful conduct remain on the legal record.

Consequences

The conclusion of this case reinforces the legal standing and integrity of the public offices held by Minister Shanmugam and Dr. Tan. Furthermore, the outcome affirms the judicial precedent that the Reynolds public interest defence is not applicable under Singapore law, leaving international media outlets with less legal protection when reporting on local officials.

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