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Alert

Prime minister and his father sue "Far Eastern Economic Review" for libel

(SEAPA/IFEX) - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, former premier turned Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, are suing the "Far Eastern Economic Review" (FEER) for libel, reports Reuters.

The two Lees filed the suit against "FEER" publisher, the Hong Kong-based Review Publishing Company Ltd, and editor Hugo Restall on 22 August 2006, over an article on opposition firebrand Chee Soon Juan.

Entitled "Singapore's Martyr: Chee Soon Juan", the article published in July "criticised the Singapore government's handling of a pay-and-perks scandal at the country's largest charity. The magazine also quoted Chee attacking the Lees," said Reuters.

Citing court documents, the news agency said lawyers for the Lees sent Review Publishing a letter on 18 July, demanding an apology and compensation by 24 July as well as the removal of the article from the "FEER" website.

Instead, "FEER" proposed publishing the letter and an interview with Kuan Yew, prompting the Lees to accuse the magazine of attempting to profit from their libel case, said Reuters.

The government has repeatedly sued Chee, its most vocal critic in recent years, who is also secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). In 2001, he was found guilty of defaming Kuan Yew and then-premier Goh Chok Tong, and subsequently declared a bankrupt when he could not pay damages. On 12 September this year, Chee and his sister, Chee Siok Chin, were found guilty of defaming the Lees in a separate case.

The Singapore government is notorious for suing foreign media and the opposition leaders, having brought the local media well under its thumb through ownership. In the past, a number of international and regional publications like the "International Herald Tribune ", "Newsweek", "The Economist", "Asiaweek" (defunct), and including "FEER", have been sued by Singapore officials as well as made to publicly apologize and pay hefty fines.