Terry Xu, chief editor of The Online Citizen (TOC), has decided to fight the defamation lawsuit brought against him by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Xu said he will be representing himself in court instead of engaging a lawyer.

On Sept. 10, Xu informed the public of his decision via a post on his personal Facebook page.

Xu wrote: "I will have to file my defence for the case within 14 days from today and the pre-trial conference has been set on 15 October 2019, 9.30am."

Xu: Don't donate to my legal case

As Xu will represent himself, he will not have to pay fees to a lawyer, and said that court filing fees are "still manageable".

He added that this meant there will be no crowdfunding for his legal defence.

Xu wrote: "Please do not donate to any online or offline fund raising campaign created in name of my case."

Xu added that as PM Lee is suing him as an individual and not TOC, a private limited company, further updates on the lawsuit will be shared on his own personal Facebook page.

Xu: Financially support TOC instead

Xu then urged members of the public who are "adamant" in supporting his "legal battle" with PM Lee to consider providing TOC with financial support.

Xu wrote that as he expects to prepare his legal defence and study court procedural rules, he anticipates fewer articles published on TOC, and with it, less ad revenue earned.

Xu wrote: "Therefore, I sincerely hope that supporters can help to finance the site so that it can stay afloat and remain operational while I navigate my way through the stormy journey ahead."

Xu revealed that TOC is "owned and solely run" by himself, with the support of a few staff and volunteers.

Facing an "up-mountain battle"

Xu also provided a statement to be quoted by media, in which he said he is facing an "up-mountain battle", and that he did not want to pass on the financial burden of engaging a legal team to the public by conducting a fund-raiser.

He claimed that he faced "uncalled-for intimidation" by a public servant, and added: "And as a Singapore citizen, I would like to have the opportunity to ask my Prime Minister — straight in his face — why he choose to sue me for repeating allegations made by his two siblings and not them, for making the same allegations back in 2017."

You can see Xu's Facebook post below:

Related stories:

Top image by Sulaiman Daud and Terry Xu's Facebook page.

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