CPF blogger Roy Ngerng is running out of time to collect enough public donations to meet the March 16 deadline.
In two days, Ngerng has raised S$8,400 from his call for public donation to defray legal costs, following the news that he will be making repayment of the S$150,000 in damages owed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for defamation over the next 17 years.
Why March 16 deadline?
In order to begin this repayment, however, Ngerng will have to start with a Lump Sum Payment of S$30,000 by today for the costs of the Assessment of Damages hearing.
In other words, $30,000 is the Minimum Sum needed before Ngerng can continue his Monthly Payout of S$100 a month for the next five years from April 1, 2016 until from April 1, 2021.
He will then have to continue with a Higher Monthly Payout of S$1,000 a month until the full sum is paid.
Ngeng's public donation updates
The momentum for Ngerng's public donation drive has increased a bit, after Ngerng's first update of receiving just S$420.
His second update revealed a total of $6,440 and his third update last night showed that $8,400 had been donated so far.
Ngerng still have some true blue supporters, with two donors donating as much as $1,000.
Others took the opportunity to pay $20 for an advertisement space.
Previous more successful donation drive
This is in stark contrast to the hundreds of thousands of dollars Ngerng received from the public about two years ago.
In June 2014, Ngerng’s first public appeal for donations to support his legal defence fund saw widespread support.
He raised more than S$72,000 from the public in four days, exceeding his S$70,000 expectation.
In all, he raised more than S$110,000 during that round of crowdsourcing for money.
Where the money went
In February 2015, Ngerng’s previous lawyer M Ravi had a public falling out with his client.
Ravi lashed out at Ngerng, throwing shade and questioning where the public donations were.
When Ngerng was cross-examined by PM Lee’s lawyer in court in July 2015, Ngerng said that S$70,000 had been paid to Ravi. Ngerng had since clarified that he had asked Ravi to return S$20,000 which will go towards paying Ngerng's third lawyer George Hwang and the PM.
Another S$36,000 was used to pay Lee’s lawyers in costs for the summary judgment as well as the Queen’s Counsel application.
The remaining money was also used to pay Hwang, with Ngerng receiving an additional £5,000 (S$10,500) from London-based human rights organisation Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) to fund the case.
Ngerng and Ravi then appeared to have kissed and made up by September 2015, as they ran together in the six-person Ang Mo Kio GRC team contesting under the Reform Party banner in the General Election 2015.
Related articles:
Blogger Roy Ngerng successfully raised S$420 of public donations on first day
Roy Ngerng to repay S$150,000 in damages to PM Lee over the next 17 years until 2033
Blogger cross-examined Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in court continuously for more than 3 hours
Questions Roy Ngerng asked PM Lee Hsien Loong during 7-hour cross-examination
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