Ng Chee Meng to not take further actions after Facebook user removed 'baseless & false' allegations

Labour chief and Member of Parliament (MP) Ng Chee Meng will not take any further action against Facebook user Rich Sng who previously made allegations against Ng and ministers Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat.

Sng was previously issued lawyers' letters for defamation by the three of them.

Sng, whose real name is Sng Chia Huat, had put up three posts on Facebook from May 8 to 10 relating to convicted money launderer Su Haijin.

After receiving the lawyers' letters, which stipulated Sng to apologise, withdraw allegations and pay for damages, Sng removed the allegations and updated the original posts with a notice before the given deadline.

Ng Chee Meng will not take further actions

In response to Sng's apology, Ng issued a statement on May 16, announcing that he would not be taking any further action.

Ng noted that Sng has issued an apology, acknowledging that the allegations made in his Facebook posts were "baseless, false, and completely without foundation."

He added that Sng has also committed not to make any similar allegations in the future.

Additionally, Sng has offered to perform 100 hours of community service for each public servant named in his posts.

Ng also acknowledged that Sng had said he has "no financial means to pay any damages" and that he is "on the verge of bankruptcy".

"To close matters and move forward, I do not intend to take any further action at this point," Ng stated.

Background

Sng's posts in question included pictures depicting Ong, Chee and Ng at dinners organised and paid for by businessman Sam Goi, at which Su was present.

According to The Straits Times, Goi said the dinner with Chee was held on Nov. 19, 2020, the dinner with Ng was on May 1, 2021, and the dinner with Ong was on May 10, 2022.

Su was arrested amid a billion-dollar money laundering probe in August 2023.

On May 8 and May 10, Sng published the posts in which he accused ministers Ong and Chee of "pretending not to know [Su]".

Both ministers previously responded to allegations surrounding the photos, and clarified that they do not know Su personally.

The ministers issued Sng an ultimatum to withdraw his allegations, apologise and pay for damages by May 16 or face legal action.

On May 12, Ng also referred to such posts put up by Sng, calling them "false, misleading, and defamatory".

Previously, Ng said in response to allegations that he is often approached for photographs at engagements which he attends as secretary-general of NTUC.

After learning about the police investigations and subsequent criminal charges against Su, Ng had no further interactions with him, he said.

Ng issued Su a similar ultimatum to withdraw his allegations and apologise by May 16.

Ng has also asked Sng to propose an amount of damages, which Ng will donate to charity.

On May 16, Sng posted a signed apology on his Facebook addressed to Ong and Chee, and another addressed to Ng.

"I admit and acknowledge that these allegations are baseless, false and completely without foundation," Sng wrote in both statements.

Sng also apologised to Ong, Chee and Ng "for the distress and embarrassment that [he has] caused to them" by publishing the posts.

Sng also undertook to not to make further allegations or publish any posts containing such or similar allegations.

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