Bloomberg Faces Legal Setback: Defamation Damages Ordered

The Singapore High Court ordered Bloomberg News and reporter Low De Wei to pay S$460,000 in damages for defaming two government ministers. Despite claiming the report was accurate and in public interest, the court found the narrative strained, revealing reckless journalism around luxury property transactions.

Bloomberg News and journalist Low De Wei have been ordered by Singapore's High Court to pay S$460,000 for publishing a defamatory article about two government ministers. The judgment, released Tuesday, mandates S$230,000 for each minister, combining both general and aggravated damages.

Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait expressed disappointment with the ruling, maintaining that Bloomberg's reporting was accurate and served the public interest. While he did not disclose whether Bloomberg plans to appeal, Micklethwait criticized the ruling as an extreme interpretation of the story's intent.

In the court's assessment, Justice Audrey Lim emphasized that the article primarily focused on transactions involving the ministers, mischaracterized secret property dealings, and displayed reckless journalism. Bloomberg had argued the report was on luxury property trends, but the judgment found it to carry malicious intent.