Report linking PM Lee and 1MDB is fake news, libellous says S'pore High Commission

KUALA LUMPUR — Singapore has described an article published by online news portal The Coverage claiming that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be next to be investigated in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe as fake news and "clearly libellous".

In a statement on Wednesday (Nov 7) night, the Singapore High Commission in Malaysia said it "would like to categorically state that this article is fake news and clearly libellous".  

The article, titled “Breaking News: Singapore Lee Hsien Loong Becomes 1MDB’s Key Investigation Target — Najib Signed Several Unfair Agreements with Hsien Loong In Exchange for Money Laundering”, was sourced from another blog, States Times Review.

The States Times Review website announced its closure last month, and its founder Alex Tan had said he will continue putting up the same content on what will now be his “personal blog”.

Singapore was the first country to legally act on the 1MDB saga. It has fined eight banks and convicted four people linked to the Malaysian fund since its investigations began in 2015.

In September, a Singapore court also ordered the return of some S$15.3 million (RM46.3 million) misappropriated from 1MDB to Malaysia.

Last month, The Coverage was flayed for reporting that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has millions stashed in offshore bank accounts located in the United States, Singapore, China and Israel.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the allegations were old and baseless news dating back to 2003. AGENCIES