Mediacorp, the parent company of CNA, has apologised and taken down the interview after being notified by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) that it was in contempt of court.
The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) said on Saturday that Mr Singh's comments during the interview with The Assembly are "very wrong" and "have no place in a system founded on the rule of law".
"At the interview, he made comments suggesting, among other things, that: The prosecution against him by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and, by extension, his conviction by the Magistrate’s Court, were politically motivated, impugning the integrity of the court and legal system," the ministry said.
It added that Mr Singh's comments suggested that the court of public opinion, demonstrated by results at the general election, was more important than the court’s judgment.
Minister for Law Edwin Tong said on Nov 8 that Mr Singh's comments "denigrate the court’s judgment and undermine public trust in our legal system and the judiciary", which is "completely unacceptable".
The AGC said it had put Mr Singh on notice on Nov 28 that his statements were in contempt of court and had invited him to apologise.
"Mr Singh has since duly apologised in writing for his comments made in his interview to The Assembly," said MinLaw.
"Following the dismissal of his appeal, Mr Singh has also confirmed that he accepts the court’s judgment fully and without reservation," it added.
"He also rightly acknowledged that it is unacceptable for politicians to question or impugn the integrity of the courts. We welcome these comments. The judiciary is a key pillar of Singapore’s success, and it is critical that public trust in our justice system is maintained."
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SINGH'S COMMENTS ARE "VERY WRONG": MINLAW
The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) said on Saturday that Mr Singh's comments during the interview with The Assembly are "very wrong" and "have no place in a system founded on the rule of law".
"At the interview, he made comments suggesting, among other things, that: The prosecution against him by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and, by extension, his conviction by the Magistrate’s Court, were politically motivated, impugning the integrity of the court and legal system," the ministry said.
It added that Mr Singh's comments suggested that the court of public opinion, demonstrated by results at the general election, was more important than the court’s judgment.
Minister for Law Edwin Tong said on Nov 8 that Mr Singh's comments "denigrate the court’s judgment and undermine public trust in our legal system and the judiciary", which is "completely unacceptable".
The AGC said it had put Mr Singh on notice on Nov 28 that his statements were in contempt of court and had invited him to apologise.
"Mr Singh has since duly apologised in writing for his comments made in his interview to The Assembly," said MinLaw.
"Following the dismissal of his appeal, Mr Singh has also confirmed that he accepts the court’s judgment fully and without reservation," it added.
"He also rightly acknowledged that it is unacceptable for politicians to question or impugn the integrity of the courts. We welcome these comments. The judiciary is a key pillar of Singapore’s success, and it is critical that public trust in our justice system is maintained."
Continue reading...