Lee Hsien Yang Pays Ministers in Defamation Case

Lee Hsien Yang, estranged brother of former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has paid S$619,335.53 (approximately $483,610) to Law Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan following a defamation lawsuit. The payment, disclosed in a Facebook post, includes damages and costs ordered by the Singapore High Court after Lee was found liable for defamatory comments regarding the ministers' rental of state-owned properties. Lee stated that the amount is equivalent to 13.6 months of rent for the properties in question and that he made the payment to protect his family home at 38 Oxley Road. He expressed his intent to honor his father's wishes concerning the property and to ensure his sister, who is ill, could continue living there. The ministers have indicated they will donate the awarded damages to charity. Lee Hsien Yang previously challenged the ministers to pursue the case in the UK, citing a desire for impartial judgment.