Singapore's Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng appeared in the High Court today to seek damages for defamation against Terry Xu, the editor of the defunct website The Online Citizen (TOC). The lawsuit centers on an article published in 2023 which made defamatory allegations regarding the ministers' rental of Good Class Bungalows (GCBs). The ministers argue that the article falsely implied they had received preferential treatment or acted corruptly in their personal property dealings.

Terry Xu, who relocated to Taiwan following a previous criminal defamation conviction, did not appear in court today and was not represented by any legal counsel. Despite his absence, the court proceeded with the assessment of damages. The ministers' legal team emphasized that the unfounded claims caused significant harm to their reputations and that a substantial payout is necessary to deter future instances of "fake news" targeting public officials.

The High Court has previously granted summary judgments in favor of the ministers, meaning the liability for defamation has already been established. Today’s hearing was strictly to determine the exact amount of monetary compensation Xu must pay. A final decision on the quantum of damages is expected to be delivered by the presiding judge in the coming weeks, further highlighting Singapore's strict stance on online misinformation and the protection of ministerial integrity.