http://theindependent.sg/janadas-de...ew-was-not-bothered-but-pm-lee-scolds-editor/
Janadas Devan accuses ST editor of being sly – Lee Kuan Yew was not bothered, but PM Lee ‘scolds’ editor
By The Independent - April 2, 2016 4 3278
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UPDATE: Dr Lee in a subsequent post in her Facebook said, “Janadas texted me from Texas yesterday, probably after reading yesterday’s post.
“I never called Cheong sly” Mr Devan said.
Dr Lee said that the conversation took place in 2013, and that she may not recall the exact words Mr Devan used. “But he expressed his displeasure with Cheong with great emotion and this was directed to the fact that Cheong made use of my father,” Dr Lee said.
“”Sly” seemed appropriate word to convey what he said to me,” she added.
Dr Lee further said that henceforth there will be times where she cannot reveal names, “because the powers that be may take retribution, so i then have to be less frank without being dishonest.”
—
Dr Lee Wei Ling, daughter of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew recounted an incident in her Facebook about revolving around the publication of a book by the former editor of The Straits Times, Mr Cheong Yip Seng. Mr Cheong’s book, ‘OB Markers’, was published in January 2013.
Dr Lee said that after ‘OB Markers’ was published, Mr Janadas Devan (who shortly before the book’s publication was appointed as chief of government communications) complained to her that “Cheong was sly, that he asked my father to write a foreword, then criticized my father in the book.”
Dr Ling said that she had not read the book when Mr Devan made that complain to her, but that she repeated what he said to her father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
“Pa merely shrugged his shoulders,” she said.
Dr Lee said that she read the book a few weeks ago and discovered that it was “all factual narratives”.
“I did not think there was any attempt to criticize. Pa does not worry about factual comments of him,” Dr Lee said.
Dr Lee said that she mentioned the incident to a friend who is a PAP cadre, and that the cadre told her that her brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reacted differently to Mr Cheong’s book.
“Hsien Loong, who was by then PM, had called up Cheong to scold him,” Dr Lee said.
Dr Lee further recounted that on the spur of the moment, she phoned Mr Cheong to tell him that her father was not bothered by Mr Devan’ accusations, and the Mr Lee’s only response was a shrug.
To which Mr Cheong replied, “Wei Ling, your father is too big for this.”
Dr Lee went on to tell Mr Cheong that she was told that the Prime Minister had called him up to scold him, and Mr Cheong replied, “not scold. He wanted to point out some issues. I tried to explain to Hsien Loong that I was defending your father, not attacking him.”
Dr Lee said that her father never restricted freedom of speech. Mr Lee Kuan Yew only just chose to defend his reputation in court if it was slander, she added.
Janadas Devan accuses ST editor of being sly – Lee Kuan Yew was not bothered, but PM Lee ‘scolds’ editor
By The Independent - April 2, 2016 4 3278
Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter
UPDATE: Dr Lee in a subsequent post in her Facebook said, “Janadas texted me from Texas yesterday, probably after reading yesterday’s post.
“I never called Cheong sly” Mr Devan said.
Dr Lee said that the conversation took place in 2013, and that she may not recall the exact words Mr Devan used. “But he expressed his displeasure with Cheong with great emotion and this was directed to the fact that Cheong made use of my father,” Dr Lee said.
“”Sly” seemed appropriate word to convey what he said to me,” she added.
Dr Lee further said that henceforth there will be times where she cannot reveal names, “because the powers that be may take retribution, so i then have to be less frank without being dishonest.”
—
Dr Lee Wei Ling, daughter of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew recounted an incident in her Facebook about revolving around the publication of a book by the former editor of The Straits Times, Mr Cheong Yip Seng. Mr Cheong’s book, ‘OB Markers’, was published in January 2013.
Dr Lee said that after ‘OB Markers’ was published, Mr Janadas Devan (who shortly before the book’s publication was appointed as chief of government communications) complained to her that “Cheong was sly, that he asked my father to write a foreword, then criticized my father in the book.”
Dr Ling said that she had not read the book when Mr Devan made that complain to her, but that she repeated what he said to her father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
“Pa merely shrugged his shoulders,” she said.
Dr Lee said that she read the book a few weeks ago and discovered that it was “all factual narratives”.
“I did not think there was any attempt to criticize. Pa does not worry about factual comments of him,” Dr Lee said.
Dr Lee said that she mentioned the incident to a friend who is a PAP cadre, and that the cadre told her that her brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reacted differently to Mr Cheong’s book.
“Hsien Loong, who was by then PM, had called up Cheong to scold him,” Dr Lee said.
Dr Lee further recounted that on the spur of the moment, she phoned Mr Cheong to tell him that her father was not bothered by Mr Devan’ accusations, and the Mr Lee’s only response was a shrug.
To which Mr Cheong replied, “Wei Ling, your father is too big for this.”
Dr Lee went on to tell Mr Cheong that she was told that the Prime Minister had called him up to scold him, and Mr Cheong replied, “not scold. He wanted to point out some issues. I tried to explain to Hsien Loong that I was defending your father, not attacking him.”
Dr Lee said that her father never restricted freedom of speech. Mr Lee Kuan Yew only just chose to defend his reputation in court if it was slander, she added.
