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Foreign organisation helped to fund Roy Ngerng’s defence, court hears

SINGAPORE — An organisation in London had provided £5,000 (S$10,500) to blogger Roy Ngerng to fund the legal suit that he is facing for defaming Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Another London organisation and a Norway university also paid for his recent trips overseas.

Mr Roy Ngerng (right) walking into the Supreme Court, on July 3, 2015. Photo: Robin Choo

Mr Roy Ngerng (right) walking into the Supreme Court, on July 3, 2015. Photo: Robin Choo

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SINGAPORE — An organisation in London had provided £5,000 (S$10,500) to blogger Roy Ngerng to fund the legal suit that he is facing for defaming Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Another London organisation and a Norway university also paid for his recent trips overseas.

These details were revealed today (July 3) during the third and final day of the hearing to assess the damages that Mr Ngerng has to pay Mr Lee.

Taking the stand, Mr Ngerng was cross-examined by Mr Lee’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh.

Questioning the blogger on his sources of funding for the suit, Mr Singh pointed out that Mr Ngerng had stated in his affidavit tendered to the High Court that he has limited financial means.

Mr Ngerng had managed to raise S$110,000 from the public in June, Mr Singh noted. He asked Mr Ngerng how the money was spent. In response, Mr Ngerng — who broke down in tears twice during this morning’s session — said he used S$70,000 to pay Mr M Ravi, one of his lawyers he had engaged for the case. He also used S$29,000 to pay costs to Mr Lee’s lawyers. Another S$6,000 was used in his failed application for a Queen Counsel to represent him in the assessment of damages hearing.

The blogger said he used his savings to fund the suit as well, apart from public donations. Pressed by Mr Singh, Mr Ngerng said he also sought financial assistance from a London organisation called Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI). He said he was introduced to this organisation by Mr Ravi. Apart from providing him with money, MLDI also gave him legal advice, Mr Ngerng said. He added that another organisation in London called Article 19 paid for his trip to London.

Before his trip to London, he was in Norway to speak at a university — a trip that was paid by the university which had invited him be a speaker at the International Student Festival in Trondheim, Mr Ngerng said.

Court adjourned this afternoon to Aug 31, and both parties have to hand in their written submissions by then. 

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