Ex-minister, IHT settle libel suit

Ex-minister, IHT settle libel suit

SINGAPORE (AFP): Former Singapore Law Minister Edward Barker has agreed to an out-of-court settlement for damages from the International Herald Tribune (IHT) for publishing an allegedly defamatory letter about him.

Lawyers for both parties yesterday declined to reveal terms of the settlement but The Straits Times newspaper said that Barker would get between 10 and 20 percent of the S$750,000 (US$494,000) he had demanded.

Barker, 75, a longtime associate of Singapore patriarch Lee Kuan Yew, filed for defamation after the IHT published a May 3 letter commenting on Singapore's tough vandalism law highlighted by the recent caning of an American teenager.

The letter, signed by R.J. Sandilands, described as an academic, referred to Barker's support of caning for vandals and an incident last year that led to the former cabinet minister being fined for a driving offense.

Sandilands, the IHT and Singapore Press Holdings which prints the IHT later unreservedly apologized for publishing the letter and said they were sorry for any embarrassment caused.