More than 2,200 netizens support Li Sheng Wu

After Lee Hsien Yang shared his son, Li Shengwu’s Facebook post announcing his refusal to admit guilt over his contempt of court case, more than 2,200 netizens ‘liked’ it.

The post, written and shared on Tuesday (Aug 11), also garnered over 200 comments.

In his Facebook post, Mr Li wrote that he had “decided to pay the fine, in order to buy some peace and quiet. Paying the fine avoids giving the Singapore government an easy excuse to attack me and my family”.

However, he added, “I do not admit guilt. I have never denied writing what I wrote, to my friends in a private Facebook post. I disagree that my words were illegal. Moreover, civilized countries should not fine or jail their citizens for private comments on the court system”.

The High Court found Li Shengwu guilty of contempt of court on Wednesday (July 29). Justice Kannan Ramesh said in his verdict that Mr Li has two weeks to pay the fine of S$15,000, otherwise he will have to serve one week in jail.

In their comments, netizens rallied behind Mr Li and his family, with many asking him to return to Singapore.

Mr Li, the grandson of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and nephew of current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, was ordered by the Judge to pay S$8,500 for the costs of proceedings, as well as S$8,070 for filing fees, photocopying charges, service of documents on Mr Li in the United States, where he is based, and database fees.

Mr Li, the son of Lee Hsien Yang, teaches economics at Harvard University and was not present at the reading of the verdict. He said last January that he would not participate any further in court proceedings in the case.