Blogger and activist, Roy Ngerng has raised S$111,605.45 over six days of fundraising to pay for defamation damages to be paid to the Prime Minister of Singapore.
Mr Ngerng, who is currently based in Taiwan, said that he managed to raise the 77.5% of the targeted sum of S$144,000 with the support of over 1,500 individuals.
Recalling the joy he had when Workers’ Party won Seng Kang GRC in the General Election 2020, Mr Ngerng said, “This time round, during my crowdfunding and Leong’s, again, I am seeing this Singapore spirit come alive, and it has made me even prouder of Singaporeans. I told people around me during last year’s election, that I have never been more proud of Singapore in my life.”
He thanked those who have supported him in the fund raising, saying: “I want to let you know, I am very thankful. My family, parents, siblings and nieces are too. Because of you, I will have a chance to see them in Singapore again, and I am forever grateful to you.”
He also earlier noted that this crowdfunding movement is being done without any coverage from mainstream media which makes the donors’ contributions “all the more meaningful and important for me, because it is a truly ground-up response”.
Besides updating the figures of the fund raiser, Mr Ngerng also shared several comments from his supporters as to why they have donated to his cause.
Mr Ngerng was sued by Mr Lee Hsien Loong in 2014, over an article that he wrote on his blog, “The Heart Truths”.
The blogpost which was published in May 2014, had compared the Government’s usage of CPF monies to the City Harvest Church leaders’ alleged misuse of church funds.
On 17 December 2015, the Supreme Court ordered Ngerng to pay S$150,000 in damages to Mr Lee for defaming and accusing him of misappropriating government funds. This comprises S$100,000 in general damages and S$50,000 in aggravated damages.
In a settlement deal with PM Lee, Mr Ngerng would pay S$100 a month for five years, and S$1,000 a month subsequently in damages awarded until the full sum of S$150,000 is paid.
According to Mr Ngerng, he currently owes PM Lee a sum of S$144,000. Based on the outstanding sum, he would have to continue his payment via instalments for the next 12 years, until 2033.
Mr Ngerng who left Singapore because he could not find a job anymore, notes that the monthly installment of S$1000 is nearly half of his monthly salary.
He shared that he revived his fundraising campaign on the encouragement of friends and supporters to help him pay off the outstanding amount and get him out of this financial burden that has been hanging over his head since 2016.
Mr Ngerng’s campaign follows the success of Mr Leong Sze Hian, a veteren blogger and financial adviser who managed to raised over $133,000 over 11 days from over 2000 individuals, to pay PM Lee for defamation damages.
Mr Leong was also sued by PM Lee for defamation over a Facebook share of an article in 2018.
Just last month, the High Court ordered Mr Leong Sze Hian to pay PM Lee S$133,000 for defamation, which includes $100,000 in general damages and $33,000 in aggravated damages.
The amount of damage was made in reference to Mr Ngerng’s case.
Justice Aedit Abdullah in his judgement found that the defamatory statement in the article shared by Mr Leong was worse compared to allegations made in Mr Ngerng’s case.
If you would like to support Mr Ngerng’s fundraising, you can donate to:
- POSB Savings Account Number (Singapore) – 130-23068-7 (Ngerng Yi Ling)
- PayNow (Singapore): S8113784F
- PayPal – [email protected]
- E.Sun Bank(玉W銀行) Bank Code 銀行代碼: 808 (Taiwan) – Account Number 存戶帳號: 0886-968-170270
