Li Shengwu: “behavior by the AGC is one reason why I decided not to participate in the proceedings against me”

Following a high court hearing on Thursday (Jul 2), Li Shengwu, son of Lee Hsien Yang, updated on the proceedings.

Mr Li wrote: “This prosecution over a private Facebook post has taken three years and thousands of pages of legal documents. The whole course of events reflects poorly on the government and its priorities”.

“It’s worth noting that the AGC applied to conceal parts of my defence affidavit, with the result that they were not available to the court on 2 July, and cannot be found in the public record. This behaviour by the AGC is one reason why I decided not to participate in the proceedings against me”, he added.

Mr Li’s post was shared by his father and brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Mr Lee Hsien Yang noted in his own Facebook post: “The High Court held a hearing today”.

The court action initiated by AGC was over a Facebook post made in 2017 by Mr Li, who is the nephew of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The 35-year-old is accused of publishing a private Facebook post with a link to a New York Times editorial titled Censored In Singapore, and a description saying: “Keep in mind, of course, that the Singapore government is very litigious and has a pliant court system”.

In the high court today, it was heard that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) is pushing for Mr Li Shengwu, the grandson of Lee Kuan Yew, to be fined S$15,000 for alleged contempt of court.

AGC’s representatives on Thursday (Jul 2) called for this fine, with two weeks’ jail in lieu if he does not pay the fine, after Mr Li failed to abide by a court order to appear for cross-examination.

In a statement after the hearing, AGC said that the post was published amid the highly publicised dispute over 38 Oxley Road. There were allegations of abuse of power by Mr Li’s father and his aunty, Dr Lee Wei Ling, against their brother, Prime Minister Lee.

The timing of the post ensured that it would capture widespread public attention, and it was “particularly inflammatory as it denounced the court system that Mr Li’s grandfather, Minister Mentor Lee, had safeguarded his entire public life”, said the AGC.

Responding to the AGC who asked Mr Li to provide the identities of his Facebook friends, he wrote in a Facebook post: “My position is this: Who my friends are is none of their business. My friends have a moral right to privacy.”

He added that he would not “dignify the AGC’s allegations with a detailed response” since he was “declining to engage further in these court proceedings”.

Mr Li’s post was made privately to friends only. /TISG