Court rules against S'pore opposition

Court rules against S'pore opposition

SINGAPORE (AP): A court has ruled against an opposition politician in another slander lawsuit filed by a leader of Singapore's ruling party after a bitter election campaign in January.

Judge Lai Kew Chai ruled on Tuesday that Tang Liang Hong slandered Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong when he said he was afraid to return from Malaysia, where he fled after losing the Jan. 2 election. Lai said he would determine damages later.

Tang, who also has been sued for denying accusations of racism by Goh and others during the campaign, said he feared for his safety and didn't believe the prime minister's promise not to arrest him if he returned.

In comments to the Straits Times newspaper, Tang had said Goh's predecessor, Lee Kuan Yew, reneged on a similar pledge not to arrest student activists several years ago.