Sunday, 11 May 2008
Singapore Democrats
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be the first of the plaintiffs' witnesses to take the stand when the hearing to assess damages begins on Monday.
He and his father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, are suing the Singapore Democrats for defamation over an article published in The New Democrat in 2006 comparing the running of NKF with the PAP's rule over the country.
But the PM is not expected to come to court until the afternoon. The morning will be put aside to hear an application that the Lees have taken to strike out the Affidavit Evidence-in-Chief (AEIC) of the defendants.
The AEICs lay out the case that the Lees have inflated their claims about their reputations by controlling the media, crushing any dissent, and manipulating elections. (Read full AEIC here.)
The defence have also provided evidence that the reputations of the plantiffs are not quite so sterling in communities not within the control of the PAP such as those living in other countries as well as on the Internet.
One such person is former solicitor-general Mr Francis Seow who has also filed an AEIC supporting the SDP's case.
Mr Seow states that he was detained by the Internal Security Department (ISD) on the orders of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. While under detention, he was threatened by ISD officers to not stand for elections as an opposition candidate.