Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said on Saturday that media organisation Bloomberg’s decision not to appeal a Singapore High Court ruling finding it guilty of malicious defamation underscores that its reported claims lacked legal merit.
The court had previously ruled in July that a December 2024 Bloomberg article falsely and maliciously defamed Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng regarding property transactions involving Good Class Bungalows (GCBs). The deadline for Bloomberg to file an appeal against the judgment expired two days ago with no filing made.
In a statement posted on social media, Shanmugam noted that despite Bloomberg’s post-judgment claims that its reporting was accurate and a “solid story,” the outlet ultimately chose not to challenge the legal findings.
“Bloomberg’s decision not to appeal the High Court’s decision reveals its true assessment of the legal merits,” Shanmugam wrote. “It has chosen to leave the Court’s findings of malice, falsehoods and wrongful conduct unchallenged, on the record.”
Shanmugam also cited Bloomberg’s earlier decision not to apply to set aside a December 2024 order under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) regarding the same article, stating it further demonstrated the outlet’s awareness of the inaccuracies.
Addressing broader media accountability, the Senior Minister criticized foreign outlets that operate under the assumption that they can make false assertions against public figures in non-Western jurisdictions without consequence.
“Some media organisations adopt a superior attitude, believing themselves entitled to maliciously malign public leaders in non-Western societies and purvey falsehoods with impunity,” Shanmugam said. “They use their money and size to get away with this. They can’t do that in Singapore.”
In the original ruling, the High Court awarded S$230,000 in damages to each minister after concluding that the Bloomberg article conveyed false allegations of shady property dealings and non-transparency. The court also found that Bloomberg failed to adhere to standard journalistic practices and demonstrated malice, notably through its decision to remove its paywall to widen the article’s reach. Subsequent court decisions ordered Bloomberg and its reporter to pay S$290,000 in legal costs to the ministers.
Dr. Tan See Leng also acknowledged the passing of the appeal deadline, noting that the outcome upholds the integrity of public office while allowing focus to remain on public service.
