Defamation trial set for Bloomberg over GCB article naming Shanmugam and Tan See Leng

Financial media company Bloomberg is set to defend itself in a defamation trial in April 2026, following lawsuits brought by Singapore’s Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng. The case concerns a Bloomberg article published on 12 December 2024 titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy”, which included references to both ministers’ property transactions. After months of case management conferences, the Singapore courts have scheduled the civil trial across eight days between 7 and 16 April 2026.

Ministers allege false and damaging implications

In their lawsuits, filed separately on 6 January 2025, both ministers argue that Bloomberg’s article falsely implies they exploited legal loopholes and a lack of disclosure requirements to conduct property transactions in a secretive manner. Specifically, the report cited Minister Shanmugam’s use of a trust structure to sell a Good Class Bungalow (GCB) in Queen Astrid Park at S$88 million, and Minister Tan’s 2023 purchase of a GCB in Brizay Park for S$27.3 million without lodging a caveat. A caveat is a legal notice that buyers can file with the Singapore Land Authority to protect their interest in a property and to signal a binding transaction to other potential purchasers. According to their 49-page statements of claim, it is alleged that the article suggested they had deliberately sought to avoid scrutiny, possibly to conceal transactions or avoid regulatory checks, including over money laundering. They described these suggestions as “false and baseless,” asserting that the article was calculated to damage their personal reputations and their standing as Cabinet ministers. The ministers are seeking unspecified damages and an injunction to prevent the republication of the statements they allege are defamatory.

Bloomberg denies defamation, defends public interest reporting

In defence submissions filed on 5 February 2025, Bloomberg denied that the article was defamatory. The media outlet stated that its report was focused on broader trends in the high-end residential property market, particularly the use of trust structures and non-caveated transactions in GCB deals. Bloomberg contended that its article merely pointed out that non-caveated purchases offer privacy benefits and often yield higher transaction prices, and that such mechanisms are used by buyers who prefer to keep their identities private—within the scope of existing laws. It argued that such reporting is not defamatory, even if some might consider the legal framework to be in need of reform. Bloomberg further stated that Minister Tan was cited as one of four examples in the article, and that no wrongdoing was alleged directly or indirectly. The company also argued that the ministers’ claims rely on selective excerpts, and that the article, when read in full, does not support the defamatory meanings alleged.

Responsible journalism defence invoked

Bloomberg and the article’s author, journalist Low De Wei, also assert a defence of responsible journalism, arguing that the piece was produced in the public interest and with due diligence. According to Bloomberg’s filings, Mr Low contacted Dr Tan’s press secretary on 25 October and 4 December 2024 but received no response. He also consulted the Singapore Land Authority, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and independent real estate experts in compiling the report. Additionally, the article used verified market data and credible sources, Bloomberg said.

POFMA orders and wider media impact

On 23 December 2024, the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office issued correction directions against Bloomberg concerning the article. The Ministry of Law stated that the article contained “false statements” and misrepresented Singapore’s legal framework around property disclosures, creating the impression that there was a lack of transparency in GCB transactions. Bloomberg complied with the correction order by publishing a notice but noted that it did so under the threat of sanction and “respectfully disagrees” with the direction, reserving the right to appeal. The same correction directions were issued to The Edge Singapore, The Independent Singapore, and The Online Citizen (TOC) for republishing parts of the article. The first two removed the content, while TOC posted a correction.

Legal representation and related proceedings

Minister Shanmugam is represented by Sambhavi Rajangam, and Minister Tan by David Fong Cheng Yee—both from Davinder Singh Chambers. Bloomberg is represented by Donaven Foo and Remy Choo Zheng Xi of RCLT Law Corporation, while journalist Low is represented by Wong Thai Yong. In a related matter, both ministers also filed defamation suits against Terry Xu, editor of TOC, who is currently based in Taiwan. The suits were filed on similar grounds as those against Bloomberg, citing TOC’s republication of the disputed claims. As Mr Xu did not file a defence, the court has granted default judgments in favour of the ministers.