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Li Shengwu wonders the amount of public funds spent on the cases against him and his mother, after Court of Appeal says ok for papers to be served to him in United States
In a 66-page judgement released on Monday (1 April), the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal by Mr Li Shengwu to contest the court order which enabled the Attorney General Chambers (AGC) to serve papers on him in the United States for the alleged offence of contempt of court.
The judges ruled that the service out of the jurisdiction was properly effected on Mr Li because the Attorney General (AG)’s claim for the court to exercise its power to punish for contempt was perky a claim made under S7(1) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act.
Following the judgement, Mr Li, posted a status update on Facebook.
Mr Li, who is nephew of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, noted that while the case will now proceed due to a ruling from the court that process service on Mr Li was effective, the AGC did not get new rules to be retroactively applied on his contempt of court case.
Although he was disappointed with the judgement, but he wrote that the “AG will still need to prove beyond reasonable doubt” that his Facebook post scandalised the Republic’s judiciary.
His response may be due to the rejected submission by AGC made to the court, for retroactive application of the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act (2016) in his case.
Mr Li lawyers had argued that the procedural rule which gives the court power to serve papers on someone outside of Singapore, under the act, cannot be applied retroactively in this case, because the “legislature manifestly did not intend for the provision to apply retroactively”.
The judges had stated in the judgement that Mr Li’s case is Sui Generis, unique by its own.
If retroactive application of the act is allowed, then AGC may refer to the new law and only needs to prove that there is a “risk” that such public confidence will be undermined instead of “real risk”. As set out in the 2015 case of Au Wai Pang v Attorney-General, the AG has to prove a real risk that the impugned statement has undermined or might undermine public confidence in the administration of justice in Singapore before one can be found guilty for contempt.
However, the issue that concerns him the most is the amount of state funds that have been spent on the case against him and his mother, Lee Suet Fern.
“Surreal mess” since July 2017
Mr Li, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Harvard University, recounts that it has been one year and eight months since this surreal mess started.
In 15 July 2017, Mr Li wrote in a private Facebook post that is only accessible to his connections and said that “the Singapore government is very litigious and has a pliant court system”, which he noted referred to the constraints surrounding what the media is allowed to or able to report regarding the high-profile dispute of his paternal family.
He was referring to the family dispute surrounding the 38 Oxley Road home of Li’s late grandfather and Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in which his father Mr Lee Hsien Yang, his aunt Dr Lee Wei Ling, and Mr Lee Hsien Loong were involved.
After his post, a relatively unknown blog posted a screenshot of his private Facebook post and was spread through Facebook page, Smrt feedback by the Vigilanteh.
Following the shares, AGC issued a public statement to local media that saying that it is looking into a Facebook post by Mr Li, in which he questioned the independence of Singapore’s courts.
On 21 July that year, AGC sent a warning letter to Mr Li claiming that he made “false and baseless allegations” about the lack of independence of the Singapore Judiciary. The warning letter also requested him to “purge the contempt” by deleting the post from his Facebook page and other platforms, and was asked to “issue and post prominently” on his Facebook page a written apology and undertaking drafted by the AGC.
By 4 August 2018, the AGC filed an application in the High Court to start committal proceeding against him for contempt of court, which was permitted by Justice Kannan Ramesh. In October, AGC then “ambushed” Mr Li with “court papers in public” whilst he was delivering a lecture in “Scott Kominers’ brilliant market design class” at Harvard University.
In Dec 2018, the law firm representing Mr Li noted that the court papers filed by the AGC exceeded 1,300 pages.
Following this, Mr Li decided to dispute against it and challenged the court order which enable the AGC to serve papers on him in the United States.
The case against Li’s mother, Lee Suet Fern
As for Mr Li’s mother, she was also slapped with a case in January this year over a “possible professional misconduct” in the preparation of her father-in-law Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s final Will. AGC had lodged a complaint of 500 pages to Law Society about Ms Lee.
AGC claims that it became aware of a possible case of professional misconduct by Ms Lee when she prepared the last Will of the former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and arranged for him to execute it, despite the fact that her husband, Lee Hsien Yang, is one of the beneficiaries under the last Will.
Under the legal profession’s rule of conduct, lawyers are not allowed to place themselves in a position of conflict, AGC expressed.
“Where a person intends to make a significant gift by will to any member of the lawyer’s family, the lawyer must not act for the person and must advise him to obtain independent advice in respect of the gift. This rule applies even if the lawyer is related to the person making the gift,” AGC said in its statement.
However, this publication has noted earlier that AGC’s allegations resembles the wordings said by PM Lee in his statutory declarations and the current AG is Mr Lucien Wong who had previously act as PM Lee’s lawyer on the matter of 38 Oxley Road. AGC defended any allegations of impropriety by saying that Mr Wong has recused himself from the complaint to Law Society.
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Dr Chee Soon Juan criticises Ho Ching’s vision for 8-10 million population
SDP chief Dr Chee Soon Juan criticised Ho Ching’s claim that Singapore could support a population of 8 to 10 million through effective city planning. He expressed scepticism, citing adverse effects like rising living costs and mental health issues. Dr Chee argued that smaller populations can thrive, referencing Scandinavian countries that excelled internationally and produced Nobel laureates.
Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), slammed Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s spouse, Ho Ching, for her assertion that Singapore could accommodate 8 to 10 million people with proper city planning and land reclamation.
In a video message published on 1 October, Dr Chee expressed strong scepticism regarding the narrative of increasing the population, highlighting that the current surge past the 6 million mark had been largely driven by the influx of foreigners, which led to several adverse consequences.
He further highlighted that smaller populations were not inherently negative, drawing examples from some Scandinavian countries that had flourished on the international stage despite their smaller populations and had even produced Nobel Prize laureates.
Ho Ching expressed confidence that with proper city planning, Singapore could accommodate up to 8-10 million people
Last Friday (27 September), in a Facebook post, Madam Ho, who was also the former CEO of Temasek Holdings, highlighted the growing demand for caregivers as the population aged and the need for workers to sustain sectors like construction and engineering, particularly as the workforce shrank due to lower birth rates.
“As we have less children, we need more people from elsewhere to join us to keep this city functioning, from repairing train tracks through the night to serving patients in hospitals through the night. ”
Dr Chee Highlights Risks of Population Growth
In response, Dr Chee recalled his experience of being reprimanded by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan during the last General Election for raising concerns about the implications of a rapidly growing population.
He questioned why Madam Ho, who shared similar views, had not faced the same scrutiny.
In his video, Dr Chee articulated several concerns regarding the proposed increase in population, highlighting the potential negative impacts, including increased demand for food, housing, and transportation, which would result in a significant rise in living costs.
With a larger population, Dr Chee pointed out that more flats, roads, hospitals, and public transportation would need to be constructed, which would ultimately require higher taxes and fees to maintain the necessary infrastructure.
The SDP leader emphasized that an influx of residents would intensify competition for jobs, exerting downward pressure on wages and potentially leading to higher rates of unemployment and underemployment.
Dr Chee further expressed concern over the environmental degradation that would accompany population growth, citing the recent clearing of forests for housing and industrial developments, including Tengah and Kranji Forests.
Dr Chee questioned the ability of existing infrastructure to cope with a growing population, referencing the persistent issues with the MRT system, including breakdowns and safety hazards.
He highlighted the toll that congestion and overpopulation take on the mental health of Singaporeans, noting a rise in reported mental health challenges.
“All this while the ministers live in secluded and luxurious bunglows and villas, far from the madding crowd which we are subjected to every single day.”
“So, when Ho Ching says that we can accommodate up to 10 million people, I’d like to ask her, where and what type of house she lives in?”
Dr Chee Argues for Innovative Economic Solutions Over Traditional Urban Expansion
Regarding the ruling government’s persistent push to increase Singapore’s population to what he considered “unhealthy levels,” Dr Chee suggested that the PAP lacked viable alternatives for fostering economic growth.
He implied that the government resorted to traditional methods of expansion, such as construction and urban development.
He highlighted that the government is fixated on physically expanding the city—“digging, pouring concrete, and erecting structures”—to sustain GDP growth.
This approach, he argued, creates an illusion that Singapore remains a productive economic hub, despite potential downsides.
Dr Chee Advocates for the Value of Smaller Populations: Cites Political Freedom as Key to Innovation and Success
Dr Chee further contended that a smaller population did not necessarily hinder a nation’s success.
He cited several Scandinavian countries and Taiwan, emphasising their global brands and innovations despite their relatively small populations.
Dr Chee connected the success of these nations to their political freedoms, arguing that the ability to think and express oneself freely fostered innovation and societal progress.
He contrasted this with Singapore, where he claimed that the government controlled media and stifled freedom of expression.
He criticised the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) for its centralised control and for limiting the potential of Singaporeans. Dr Chee used the metaphor of a “grotesque monkey” clinging to the nation, suggesting that the PAP hindered progress and growth.
Dr Chee emphasised that the quality of a population—its talent, energy, and potential—was far more important than its size.
He suggested that Singapore possessed the necessary attributes to succeed on a global scale but was held back by the current political landscape.
He urged Singaporeans to engage in critical thinking rather than passively accepting government narratives.
Dr Chee advocated for a more mature and sophisticated approach to governance and civic engagement, encouraging citizens to take an active role in shaping their society.
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Netizens criticise PM Wong’s video, urge Govt to address root causes of cost-of-living crisis
Netizens have voiced concerns over PM Wong’s approach to addressing the cost-of-living crisis. Many argue that distributing CDC vouchers provides only temporary relief and are calling for more substantial action on issues such as transport and rental costs.
SINGAPORE: In response to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s video titled “Tackling Cost of Living Concern,” uploaded on 2 October, netizens expressed that the Singapore government should address fundamental issues like transport and rental costs, rather than relying on measures such as distributing Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers.
In the six-minute video, PM Wong acknowledged that although inflation has moderated, the cost of living remains a significant issue for many Singaporeans.
PM Wong assured Singaporeans that his team is committed to helping them through this challenging period.
He emphasised that while inflation is expected to decline further in 2024, prices will still rise from time to time.
He explained that delaying price adjustments would only worsen the situation in the future, but the government will work on mitigating the impact of any necessary increases.
The prime minister outlined that the long-term solution to managing living costs is to ensure Singaporeans have access to good jobs with better wages.
He added that higher wages should outpace inflation, allowing citizens to improve their living standards in real terms.
PM Wong also provided an economic outlook for 2024, predicting higher growth and lower inflation, which could lead to increases in real incomes for workers.
He noted that the government is closely monitoring economic conditions for 2025 and will reveal more of its plans in the upcoming Budget.
Recapping earlier initiatives, PM Wong said the government has allocated over $10 billion through the Assurance Package to help Singaporeans cope with rising living costs, including enhancements to the package.
He highlighted that this year, every household has received S$800 in CDC vouchers, alongside utility rebates and cash payouts.
PM Wong also touched on global inflation trends, explaining how disruptions from the pandemic and global conflicts affected prices.
He assured Singaporeans that the government has taken measures, such as strengthening the Singapore dollar, to shield them from the worst of these effects.
Netizens criticise government’s approach to rising cost of living
Hundreds of netizens have voiced their concerns under a Facebook post by The Straits Times on PM Wong’s video, criticising the government’s approach to addressing cost-of-living issues.
Many users expressed frustration, noting that despite the government’s repeated reassurances about helping Singaporeans, there has been a lack of action to address the ongoing increases in utility and transport fares.
Others echoed similar sentiments, with one user blaming the increase in GST to 9% as a major factor contributing to the rising cost of living. As Finance Minister, PM Wong was the key advocate of the GST hike and defended it when the opposition called for a deferment.
One netizen criticised the government’s actions as being counterproductive. They pointed out that while the government raises prices in several areas, it simultaneously claims to be providing help, which they view as contradictory.
Netizens call for action on rising rental costs, criticise reliance on CDC vouchers
Many commenters also criticised the distribution of CDC vouchers as insufficient, urging the government to tackle root issues such as high rental and housing costs.
One netizen argued that CDC vouchers provide little relief, and reducing rental, medical, and food costs would be a more effective solution.
Another user called for standardised rental prices for hawker stalls and suggested that the government should fine landlords who raise rents excessively.
Other commenters focused on the need for more substantial measures, such as controlling hawker stall and coffee shop leases.
They argued that skyrocketing rental prices directly affect consumers through higher food costs.
One user proposed reducing government officials’ salaries and reforming other key policies such as lowering the GST and making housing more affordable as real solutions.
Additionally, some netizens highlighted the need to address transport and rental costs, noting that higher transport and raw material costs will continue to drive up consumer prices.
They urged the government to reduce rent for commercial shops and food stalls.
Netizens call for concrete measures in addressing cost of living
Some netizens expressed doubts about the government’s efforts to address the cost of living, calling for more transparency and concrete actions.
Many have called for clear metrics, such as housing prices, Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices, transportation costs, and population growth, to be presented as proof of the government’s commitment to tackling these issues.
Other commenters urged the government to avoid short-term solutions such as payouts, which could ultimately lead to higher taxpayer costs.
They suggested more long-term measures, including lowering CPF contribution rates, which they view as a financial burden on lower-income earners.
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