Singapore's High Court has ordered Bloomberg to pay Sg$230,000 (US$178,000) in damages to Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng for a defamatory article on luxury property deals. The ministers sued Bloomberg and its reporter Low De Wei in January 2025, claiming the article harmed their reputations. The story, which examined Good Class Bungalows and alleged many purchases lacked legal filings, referred to transactions involving the ministers. Justice Audrey Lim ruled the article defamed the ministers, awarding Sg$170,000 in general damages and Sg$60,000 for aggravation, including malice. Bloomberg's defense that the article was in the public interest was rejected.
The article, titled "Singapore Mansion Deals Are Increasingly Shrouded in Secrecy," claimed that many high-end property transactions did not have legal filings, making them difficult to track. It specifically mentioned transactions involving Shanmugam and Tan. Justice Lim found that the article implied the ministers took advantage of a lack of checks and balances to conduct non-transparent property transactions, which she said gravely impugned their integrity and professional reputation.
Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait expressed disappointment with the ruling but stated the agency would respect it. He defended the newsroom's integrity and editorial standards, continuing to support the reporter. The case stems from a 2023 controversy where Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan were criticized for renting expensive bungalows, though the government cleared them of any wrongdoing after an investigation.
This ruling highlights the sensitivity around property transactions and transparency in Singapore, where most residents live in government-built high-rise apartments. The case underscores the potential legal repercussions for media organizations that publish articles perceived as defamatory, particularly when involving high-ranking government officials.
