http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapor...ry_635329.html

Feb 16, 2011

Defamation suit over Bayshore Park circular


Asked to explain how she had been defamed, Ms Png could not do so.

FOUR members of a former management council (MC) of Bayshore Park condominium are suing the council's then-chairman for defamation over a letter he wrote to apartment owners.

The four - Ms Cecilia Png Beng Hong, Mr Alan Chua Charn Boon, Ms Lee Lee Hue and Mr John Teh - were members of the 22nd management council from April 2009 till last April.

Their claim against Mr Joe Chua Cheok Kwang arose out of a letter he wrote last March in his capacity as chairman of the MC, addressed to Bayshore Park's apartment owners.

The letter was in response to an unsigned letter that had been circulated to the owners. That had referred to the contributions of each of the four and sought support for their re-election to the 23rd council that was to be held last April.

Yesterday, opening the case for the four, lawyer Lai Kwok Seng alleged that Mr Chua's main motive for defaming his clients was to get a clean sweep for his team in the election.

Mr Lai alleged that once Mr Chua's team was in office, he would have the power to run the condo as his own estate and stood to profit from his company's business dealings with it.

The four asserted that in his letter, Mr Chua had accused them of making misleading statements by claiming credit for cost savings, among other things.

Mr Lai contended that the 'sting' of the words in the circular was that the four were dishonest and dishonourable and thus not fit to be council members.

Mr Chua's defence was that the statements in his circular were not defamatory. And even if any parts in it were, he had the qualified privilege or justification to make them.

Taking the stand yesterday was Ms Png, a managing director.

Defence lawyer Denis Tan took her through each of the 10 statements from the letter that had been identified as defamatory. An example: 'You would have likely received a circular from four council members speaking of their contributions and seeking your proxy support for the forthcoming AGM (annual general meeting).'

Mr Tan asked Ms Png to explain how she had been defamed by the statements. She could not do so.

The trial continues today.

SELINA LUM