Shanmugam, Tan See Leng to issue Letters of Demand to Bloomberg over 'libellous' report
Singapore's Home Affairs and Law Minister, K Shanmugam, and Manpower Minister, Dr Tan See Leng, have vowed to take legal action against Bloomberg and other media outlets for publishing what they describe as a "libellous" article.
The ministers announced their intentions in separate identical social media posts on Monday (16 Dec), stating they would issue Letters of Demand concerning an article that was published on 12 Dec.
The Bloomberg article, titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy,” explored the rising trend of secretive property transactions among Singapore’s ultra-wealthy, particularly those involving good class bungalows (GCB).
Both ministers were named in the piece, which led them to seek legal recourse, citing that the article had made defamatory claims about their property dealings.
“We take a serious view of the allegations,” said the ministers in their posts, emphasising that the issue was not only with Bloomberg, but with any other media outlets that had picked up and published similar statements regarding the transactions.
The article, which was based on data from Bloomberg News and List Sotheby’s International Realty, raised questions about the lack of transparency in high-value property deals in Singapore.
The GCBs mentioned in the article have become highly sought-after properties for the affluent, and the report suggested that some transactions were shrouded in secrecy to avoid public scrutiny.
When reached for comment by The Straits Times, Bloomberg declined to provide a statement, though it is expected that the legal process will unfold in the coming days.
The ministers’ actions signal their firm stance against what they consider a baseless and damaging portrayal of their financial dealings.
Legal experts predict that this case could set a precedent for how public figures address alleged defamatory media reports in Singapore.