In the report "Shanmugam: Criticise a minister but don't sling m&d", the Minister for Law said that PAP leaders was not about to stop suing its critics for defamation, but added that lawsuits do not curtail political discussion.
He could not be more wrong. Defamation lawsuits have had a chilling effect on political discussion in Singapore. Through the decades, many opposition leaders have been sued and this has effectively dampened political debate and participation.
But while Mr Shanmugam says that PAP's critics should not sling m&d, its leaders have not been shy of doing the same to its opponents. J B Jeyaretnam, Devan Nair, Francis Seow, Tang Liang Hong, Chee Soon Juan, etc. have been labelled and characterised in the most personal and vicious of ways.
And while PAP leaders see no problem in slinging m&d at their opponents, they are quick to sue when the m&d flies the other way. The party has in recent years turned to suing civil society members and bloggers, the latest being Mr Roy Ngerng over the CPF issue.