By Zakir Hussain
The International Herald Tribune (IHT) has apologised to three Singapore
leaders for an article which implied that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong got his
job on account of his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. --
ST PHOTO: EDWIN KHOO
THE International Herald Tribune (IHT) has apologised to three Singapore
leaders for an article which implied that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong got his job
on account of his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
The newspaper yesterday published an apology to PM Lee, MM Lee and
The newspaper yesterday published an apology to PM Lee, MM Lee and
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who was prime minister from 1990 to 2004. T
he apology ran online and in its op-ed pages.
The publisher, editor and author of the article have also agreed to pay damages of
The publisher, editor and author of the article have also agreed to pay damages of
$60,000 to PM Lee, and $50,000 each to SM Goh and MM Lee, as well as legal costs, said Senior Counsel Davinder Singh of Drew and Napier, who represented the leaders.
The libellous article was published online and in the paper on Feb 15 and Feb 16 this year.
Titled All In The Family, it was written by IHT op-ed page contributor Philip Bowring,
The libellous article was published online and in the paper on Feb 15 and Feb 16 this year.
Titled All In The Family, it was written by IHT op-ed page contributor Philip Bowring,
a Hong Kong-based journalist and former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review.
He said that 'dynastic politics thrives across Asia', and that the list of countries with
He said that 'dynastic politics thrives across Asia', and that the list of countries with
governments headed by the offspring or spouses of former leaders was striking. He cited,
among others, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Japan and Singapore, and noted
that 'Singapore's Lee Hsien Loong is Lee Kuan Yew's son'.
