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AGC seeks contempt of court proceedings against Li Shengwu

Singapore’s Supreme Court. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore)
Singapore’s Supreme Court. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore)

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has filed an application in the High Court to commence committal proceedings against Li Shengwu for contempt of court over his Facebook post on 15 July this year.

In a media statement on Friday (4 August), AGC noted that Li’s post, which said that “the Singapore government is very litigious and has a pliant court system”, was republished widely in the city-state.

On 21 July, AGC issued a letter of warning to Li, the eldest son of Lee Hsien Yang, about the post. It gave him till 5 pm on 28 July to delete and remove the Facebook post, and to “issue and post prominently a written apology and undertaking in the terms stated in the AGC’s letter on his Facebook page”.

The AGC noted that the post of Li, who is also the nephew of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, came after a “highly publicised debate in Singapore” over members of his family’s allegations of abuse of power against the Singapore leader.

Despite requesting an extension till 5pm on 4 August to respond to the AGC’s letter – which the agency agreed to – “Mr Li has failed to purge the contempt and to apologise by the extended deadline”. Consequently, AGC filed its application in the High Court.

Earlier on Friday, the 32-year-old told Yahoo News Singapore that it was AGC that had “escalated” the dispute over his Facebook post. He also asserted in a separate post on the same day that he had not attacked the Singapore judiciary.

Shortly after the AGC announcement, Li posted on Facebook, “Well, this is a new development. Fortunately, my friends know how to call a spade a spade.”

Until early last month, Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest children of the late Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister, were embroiled in a public spat with their older brother over their family home on 38 Oxley Road. On 6 July, they said they welcomed efforts to manage their disagreement with the prime minister in private.