source: http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/06/03/news-of-roy-raising-legal-fund-picked-up-by-world-news/
News of Roy raising legal fund picked up by world news
Protected June 3rd, 2014 | Author: Editorial
NMP Euegne Tan said the lawsuit has a "David versus Goliath ring to it".
News of blogger Roy Ngerng raising $72K, reaching his target of $70K in 4 days has been picked up by International News Wire AFP yesterday (2 Jun).
Roy is raising money for his legal defense fund. He is currently being sued by PM Lee for defamation, due to an article he posted on his blog.
AFP wrote (‘Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit‘) [Link]:
A Singaporean blogger sued for damages by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday he had successfully raised fees for his legal defence in just four days through crowdfunding.
Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, a government health worker who posts comments on social issues, said 1,104 people had so far contributed more than Sg$72,000 ($55,700), exceeding his target of Sg$70,000 when he launched the campaign Friday.
With 1,104 Singaporeans donating some $72K, this works out to be about $65 per donor on average.
AFP further reported:
Many of the donors registered comments criticising Lee and opposing the use of libel suits to silence government critics.
Singapore officials have long used defamation suits against printed publications to defend their reputations.
Ngerng was the first online critic brought to court by a Singaporean leader.
“Donations were mostly of small denominations, and ranged from one cent to two thousand dollars,” Ngerng, 33, told AFP.
“I think it reflects the people’s frustrations with the current situation,” added Ngerng, author of a blog called “The Heart Truths”.
Lee filed the defamation suit on Thursday in the High Court, where the typical minimum value of claims for damages is Sg$250,000.
AFP also quoted NMP Eugene Tan:
Eugene Tan, an associate law professor at the Singapore Management University, said the lawsuit has a “David versus Goliath ring to it”.
“There is a sense that the people who have contributed either identify with his cause or feel that the questions regarding the CPF Ngerng has raised is worth some support,” he told AFP.
Local media is tightly controlled, leaving independent bloggers as the strongest critics of the long-ruling People’s Action Party.
Calvin Soh, an advertising industry entrepreneur, said Lee’s defamation suit against Ngerng was a “PR disaster” for the ruling party.
“It’s not just the sum; crowdfunding shows you market size,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“What if you have turned Roy into a symbol of the ordinary guy being bullied because you’ve pushed too hard?”
International human rights groups have accused Singapore government leaders of using financially ruinous libel actions to silence critics and political opponents, AFP said.
AFP’s report has subsequently been picked up by other media and spreading across the world:
Bangkok Post:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/413298/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pm-defamation-suit
Malaysia Insider:
Singapore blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...ses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit
Yahoo Australia:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/24085983/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit/
Geektime:
Singaporean blogger uses crowdfunding for legal fees in defamation case
http://www.geektime.com/2014/06/02/...owdfunding-for-legal-fees-in-defamation-case/
Business Standard:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.business-standard.com/ar...ight-pm-s-defamation-suit-114060201698_1.html
Wn.com:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight Singapore PM’s defamation suit
http://article.wn.com/view/2014/06/02/Blogger_uses_crowdfunding_to_fight_Singapore_PMs_defamation_/
Financial Express:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit/1256687
Hindustan Times:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight Singapore PM’s defamation suit
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world...ht-pm-s-defamation-suit/article1-1225343.aspx
News of Roy raising legal fund picked up by world news
Protected June 3rd, 2014 | Author: Editorial
NMP Euegne Tan said the lawsuit has a "David versus Goliath ring to it".
News of blogger Roy Ngerng raising $72K, reaching his target of $70K in 4 days has been picked up by International News Wire AFP yesterday (2 Jun).
Roy is raising money for his legal defense fund. He is currently being sued by PM Lee for defamation, due to an article he posted on his blog.
AFP wrote (‘Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit‘) [Link]:
A Singaporean blogger sued for damages by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday he had successfully raised fees for his legal defence in just four days through crowdfunding.
Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, a government health worker who posts comments on social issues, said 1,104 people had so far contributed more than Sg$72,000 ($55,700), exceeding his target of Sg$70,000 when he launched the campaign Friday.
With 1,104 Singaporeans donating some $72K, this works out to be about $65 per donor on average.
AFP further reported:
Many of the donors registered comments criticising Lee and opposing the use of libel suits to silence government critics.
Singapore officials have long used defamation suits against printed publications to defend their reputations.
Ngerng was the first online critic brought to court by a Singaporean leader.
“Donations were mostly of small denominations, and ranged from one cent to two thousand dollars,” Ngerng, 33, told AFP.
“I think it reflects the people’s frustrations with the current situation,” added Ngerng, author of a blog called “The Heart Truths”.
Lee filed the defamation suit on Thursday in the High Court, where the typical minimum value of claims for damages is Sg$250,000.
AFP also quoted NMP Eugene Tan:
Eugene Tan, an associate law professor at the Singapore Management University, said the lawsuit has a “David versus Goliath ring to it”.
“There is a sense that the people who have contributed either identify with his cause or feel that the questions regarding the CPF Ngerng has raised is worth some support,” he told AFP.
Local media is tightly controlled, leaving independent bloggers as the strongest critics of the long-ruling People’s Action Party.
Calvin Soh, an advertising industry entrepreneur, said Lee’s defamation suit against Ngerng was a “PR disaster” for the ruling party.
“It’s not just the sum; crowdfunding shows you market size,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“What if you have turned Roy into a symbol of the ordinary guy being bullied because you’ve pushed too hard?”
International human rights groups have accused Singapore government leaders of using financially ruinous libel actions to silence critics and political opponents, AFP said.
AFP’s report has subsequently been picked up by other media and spreading across the world:
Bangkok Post:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/413298/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pm-defamation-suit
Malaysia Insider:
Singapore blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...ses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit
Yahoo Australia:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/24085983/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit/
Geektime:
Singaporean blogger uses crowdfunding for legal fees in defamation case
http://www.geektime.com/2014/06/02/...owdfunding-for-legal-fees-in-defamation-case/
Business Standard:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.business-standard.com/ar...ight-pm-s-defamation-suit-114060201698_1.html
Wn.com:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight Singapore PM’s defamation suit
http://article.wn.com/view/2014/06/02/Blogger_uses_crowdfunding_to_fight_Singapore_PMs_defamation_/
Financial Express:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/blogger-uses-crowdfunding-to-fight-pms-defamation-suit/1256687
Hindustan Times:
Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight Singapore PM’s defamation suit
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world...ht-pm-s-defamation-suit/article1-1225343.aspx
