Singapore, Feb 26: Singapore’s Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng have filed defamation lawsuits against global media company Bloomberg and its journalist Low De Wei over a report concerning the rental of a state-owned bungalow.
The case is set to be heard in the Supreme Court on March 3, following the ministers’ earlier announcement in December that they would take legal action against Bloomberg and other media outlets over what they claim are libellous statements regarding their property transactions.
Background of the Case
The controversy stems from a December 12, 2024, Bloomberg article titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy,” which discussed Good Class Bungalow (GCB) transactions in Singapore from January to early December 2024. The ministers argue that the statements in the report misrepresented the transparency of property transactions in Singapore and implied a lack of robust legal disclosure frameworks.On December 16, both ministers took to Facebook to denounce the article as defamatory and confirmed their intent to pursue legal action. Subsequently, on December 23, Singapore’s Ministry of Law issued Correction Directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), demanding corrections from Bloomberg.
Bloomberg’s Response
Bloomberg complied by publishing a correction notice but emphasized that it did so under threat of sanction. The company maintained that it stood by its reporting, stating:Additional Media Outlets Affected
Apart from Bloomberg, three other media outlets that republished parts of the article were also issued correction orders, according to reports.As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes will be on Singapore’s Supreme Court on March 3, when the defamation suits will be heard.
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