Court orders Lee remarks deleted

Court orders Lee remarks deleted

SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore's High Court ordered yesterday that
remarks by Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew which triggered
a bitter diplomatic row with Malaysia be stricken from a court
document. The order was issued at Lee's request in a rare court
appearance.

"The powers of the court must be used to maintain friendly
relations between Singapore and every other country," Justice Lai
Kew Chai said. "The statements are to be deleted," he added.

Following an uproar in Malaysia, former prime minister Lee
apologized publicly twice for depicting a neighboring southern
Malaysian state, Johore, as "notorious for shootings, muggings
and car-jackings."

The remarks were contained in an affidavit filed in a
defamation suit against a political opponent, Tang Liang Hong,
who fled to Johore after last January's general elections in
Singapore.

Lee spoke for almost one hour in court, stressing that he was
carrying out an obligation he made to the Malaysian government.