Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SINGAPORE1930
2007-10-19 08:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
FOREIGN MEDIA CAVES TO LEE FAMILY INC. DEFAMATION
how-toVZCZCXRO3867 RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHVC DE RUEHGP #1930/01 2920837 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 190837Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4259 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1994 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4101 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5719 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1355
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 001930
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SN
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MEDIA CAVES TO LEE FAMILY INC. DEFAMATION
CLUB, AGAIN
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold. Reason 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 001930
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SN
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MEDIA CAVES TO LEE FAMILY INC. DEFAMATION
CLUB, AGAIN
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold. Reason 1.4 (d)
1. (C) The Lee family has once again wielded its defamation
club to deal with criticism, real or inferred. On October
18, local media reported that the Financial Times (FT)
newspaper had apologized and paid damages to Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and Temasek
CEO Ho Ching for a September 29 article on sovereign wealth
funds that allegedly accused them of nepotism. (The relevant
section of the FT article is in para 3 below and the full
text of the FT apology from its website is in para 4.) The
Lee family has sued or threatened to sue multiple foreign
news agencies for defamation in recent years, including the
Far Eastern Economic Review, the Economist, and Bloomberg.
2. (C) Comment: The Lee family is hyper-sensitive to any
implication of nepotism and sticking to the facts offers no
protection. The FT article actually never used the word
nepotism, but made a series of factual observations (i.e. PM
Lee is the son of MM Lee, Ho Ching is PM Lee's wife). Given
the long winning streak PM Lee and MM Lee have had in the
Singapore courts on defamation cases, the FT probably decided
it was easier to pay up now rather than later. End Comment.
3. (U) September 29 FT article "Sovereign funds try to put on
an acceptable face":
Begin Article Exerpt:
On the subject of sovereign wealth funds, there seems to be a
whole lot of lovin' going on with the Temasek family.
DBS Bank, whose biggest shareholder is Temasek, this week
surprised many by announcing that US-born Jackson Tai would
step down towards the end of the year. Mr. Tai was said to
be keen to "spend more time with his family."
Last week Jimmy Phoon, Temasek's chief investment officer,
announced he was leaving "to take a break and spend some time
with the family.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at the reasons. Singapore,
after all, is built on strong family values. Lee Kuan Yew,
founding father of the city-state, must be proud to see Lee
Hsien Loong, his son, occupy the role of prime minister.
Mr. Lee (Jnr) himself will be pleased Ho Ching, his wife, has
helped turn round the performance of Temasek after being
appointed chief executive in 2002.
The rumor mill now suggests Lee Hsien Yang, the younger
brother, could replace Mr. Tai at DBS. The younger Mr. Lee
earned his spurs as chief executive of SingTel, also part of
the Temasek firmament.
End Article Exerpt.
4. (U) FT Apology published on-line on October 17.
Begin Text of Apology:
1. In the September 29, 2007 issue of the FT Weekend, we
published an article (The "Article") entitled "Sovereign
funds try to put on an acceptable face". The Article was
also available online without payment on our website,
www.ft.com. 2. We recognise that the Article meant or was
understood to mean: that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
secured, or was instrumental in securing, the appointment of
his son, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, as prime minister, for
nepotistic motives; that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
secured, or was instrumental in securing, the appointment of
his wife, Ms. Ho Ching, as the chief executive officer of
Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited for nepotistic motives;
and, that Ms. Ho Ching is promoting her brother-in-law Lee
Hsien Yang's interests by securing or helping to secure his
appointment as Mr. Jackson Tai's replacement at DBS Bank for
nepotistic motives. 3. We admit and acknowledge that these
allegations are false and completely without foundation. We
unreservedly apologise to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Ms. Ho Ching for the
distress and embarrassment caused to them by these
allegations. We undertake not to make any further
allegations to the same or similar effect. 4. We have agreed
to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee
Kuan Yew and Ms. Ho Ching damages, by way of compensation,
SINGAPORE 00001930 002 OF 002
and costs incurred by them in connection with this matter.
End Text of Apology.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SN
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MEDIA CAVES TO LEE FAMILY INC. DEFAMATION
CLUB, AGAIN
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold. Reason 1.4 (d)
1. (C) The Lee family has once again wielded its defamation
club to deal with criticism, real or inferred. On October
18, local media reported that the Financial Times (FT)
newspaper had apologized and paid damages to Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and Temasek
CEO Ho Ching for a September 29 article on sovereign wealth
funds that allegedly accused them of nepotism. (The relevant
section of the FT article is in para 3 below and the full
text of the FT apology from its website is in para 4.) The
Lee family has sued or threatened to sue multiple foreign
news agencies for defamation in recent years, including the
Far Eastern Economic Review, the Economist, and Bloomberg.
2. (C) Comment: The Lee family is hyper-sensitive to any
implication of nepotism and sticking to the facts offers no
protection. The FT article actually never used the word
nepotism, but made a series of factual observations (i.e. PM
Lee is the son of MM Lee, Ho Ching is PM Lee's wife). Given
the long winning streak PM Lee and MM Lee have had in the
Singapore courts on defamation cases, the FT probably decided
it was easier to pay up now rather than later. End Comment.
3. (U) September 29 FT article "Sovereign funds try to put on
an acceptable face":
Begin Article Exerpt:
On the subject of sovereign wealth funds, there seems to be a
whole lot of lovin' going on with the Temasek family.
DBS Bank, whose biggest shareholder is Temasek, this week
surprised many by announcing that US-born Jackson Tai would
step down towards the end of the year. Mr. Tai was said to
be keen to "spend more time with his family."
Last week Jimmy Phoon, Temasek's chief investment officer,
announced he was leaving "to take a break and spend some time
with the family.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at the reasons. Singapore,
after all, is built on strong family values. Lee Kuan Yew,
founding father of the city-state, must be proud to see Lee
Hsien Loong, his son, occupy the role of prime minister.
Mr. Lee (Jnr) himself will be pleased Ho Ching, his wife, has
helped turn round the performance of Temasek after being
appointed chief executive in 2002.
The rumor mill now suggests Lee Hsien Yang, the younger
brother, could replace Mr. Tai at DBS. The younger Mr. Lee
earned his spurs as chief executive of SingTel, also part of
the Temasek firmament.
End Article Exerpt.
4. (U) FT Apology published on-line on October 17.
Begin Text of Apology:
1. In the September 29, 2007 issue of the FT Weekend, we
published an article (The "Article") entitled "Sovereign
funds try to put on an acceptable face". The Article was
also available online without payment on our website,
www.ft.com. 2. We recognise that the Article meant or was
understood to mean: that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
secured, or was instrumental in securing, the appointment of
his son, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, as prime minister, for
nepotistic motives; that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
secured, or was instrumental in securing, the appointment of
his wife, Ms. Ho Ching, as the chief executive officer of
Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited for nepotistic motives;
and, that Ms. Ho Ching is promoting her brother-in-law Lee
Hsien Yang's interests by securing or helping to secure his
appointment as Mr. Jackson Tai's replacement at DBS Bank for
nepotistic motives. 3. We admit and acknowledge that these
allegations are false and completely without foundation. We
unreservedly apologise to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Ms. Ho Ching for the
distress and embarrassment caused to them by these
allegations. We undertake not to make any further
allegations to the same or similar effect. 4. We have agreed
to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee
Kuan Yew and Ms. Ho Ching damages, by way of compensation,
SINGAPORE 00001930 002 OF 002
and costs incurred by them in connection with this matter.
End Text of Apology.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD