The estranged brother of Singapore’s premier said the ministers of law and foreign affairs misinterpreted his comments about them, two days after they demanded an apology for allegedly defaming them.
(Bloomberg) — The estranged brother of Singapore’s premier said the ministers of law and foreign affairs misinterpreted his comments about them, two days after they demanded an apology for allegedly defaming them.
They “are wrong about what I said,” Lee Hsien Yang said in a post on Facebook Saturday. He said his July 23 post didn’t assert that Law Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan “acted corruptly or for personal gain” as they alleged.
“My post simply stated facts that were already widely published in the Singapore and international media,” Lee said. Singapore earlier issued Lee with a fake news notice for the post.
The two ministers on Thursday said their lawyers’ letters demanded Lee withdraw his allegations in relation to state property that they rented, and pay damages, which would be donated to charity.
“My post was made in the UK,” Lee said. “If K Shanmugam and V Balakrishnan believe that they have a real case, then they should sue me in the UK.”
–With assistance from Philip J. Heijmans.
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