Facebook user Rich Sng has taken down three of his posts concerning convicted money launderer Su Haijin. This action comes after legal letters for defamation were issued by Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat, and NTUC secretary-general and Jalan Kayu Member of Parliament (MP) Ng Chee Meng.
The now-amended posts contained photographs of Ong, Chee, and Ng at dinners organized and paid for by businessman Sam Goi, where Su Haijin was also present. According to reports, Goi specified the dinner with Minister Chee occurred on November 19, 2020, the gathering with Mr. Ng took place on May 1, 2021, and the dinner attended by Minister Ong was on May 10, 2022. Su Haijin was subsequently arrested in August 2023 as part of a major billion-dollar money laundering investigation.
As of May 15, the three Facebook posts in question have been updated with a clear notification stating their removal was executed at the request of Ong, Chee, and Ng. The individual behind the “Rich Sng” Facebook profile has been identified as One Sng Chia Huat.
Mr. Sng indicated that he intends to issue a formal response once he receives the official letters of demand from the legal representatives of the three political figures. In a public statement, he noted, “Until then, I’ll remain silent because I’ve been asked to. Thank you.” An update shared by Mr. Sng in the early hours of May 15 confirmed that he had indeed received the aforementioned letters of demand from Ong, Chee, and Ng.
The legal letters served as ultimatums, requiring Mr. Sng to issue apologies to Ong, Chee, and Ng, and to retract his allegations by May 16. Failure to comply with these demands could result in legal action being pursued against him. The contentious posts, published on May 8 and May 10, reportedly included accusations from Mr. Sng that ministers Ong and Chee were “pretending not to know [Su]”. Both ministers have previously addressed the photographs, clarifying that they do not have a personal relationship with Su Haijin. In a joint statement on May 12, Ong and Chee outlined that Mr. Sng’s posts alleged they were aware of Su’s illegal activities but chose to condone them, were involved in or susceptible to corruption, and were part of a system protecting such criminals. The ministers demanded a public apology, a withdrawal of the “false allegations,” and the payment of damages by May 16, warning of legal action to clear their names and uphold the government’s reputation if these demands were not met. Similarly, on May 12, Mr. Ng addressed the posts by Mr. Sng, labeling them “false, misleading, and defamatory.” Mr. Ng had previously stated that he is frequently approached for photographs during engagements in his capacity as secretary-general of NTUC. He added that upon learning of the police investigations and subsequent criminal charges against Su, he ceased all interactions with him. Mr. Ng also demanded a retraction of the “false allegations” and an apology by May 16, stating he would be compelled to take legal action to clear his name. Additionally, he requested Mr. Sng to propose an amount for damages, which Mr. Ng intends to donate to charity.
