Corrupted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has issued a gag order on his “independent panel” proxy and town councils not to disclose the multi-million legal fees of the lawsuit to the residents, despite drawing from the town council funds. The total bill incurred by top law firm Drew & Napier and Shook Lin & Bok, is estimated to be at least S$2 million as senior counsels, including top dog Davinder Singh, were hired to file the prosecution proceedings which lasted over 17 days.
Troubles appear to be brewing at the PAP side as law firm Shook Lin & Bok complained to the state media that they have not received a single cent from the now-PAP-controlled Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. The PAP-hired law firm provided state media CNA a legal document stating that the town council has only “met certain disbursements” relating to the hearing fees.
The PAP-controlled “independent panel” who lodged the lawsuit, refused to declare their legal fees and even declined to speak to the media. Over at the PAP Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council, the PAP team similarly declined to disclose their legal fees spent.
The 3 Workers’ Party MPs who were being sued are however fully accountable and transparent, posting the receipt of a million dollars on their donation website, showing that the money has been fully paid to their lawyers.
The 17-day civil trial was a set up to unseat the 3 WP MPs by making them pay for S$33 million in what the PAP claimed to be “improper”. The court hearing saw leading prosecution witnesses, KPMG and PwC, admitting they fabricated false charges and posted inaccurate audits heavily peppered with personal opinions. KPMG even tried to argue its way out by claiming that the term “improper” they had used does not mean “wrong” payment, and voluntarily cleared the WP MPs of any criminal proceedings.
The court trial saw only PAP-hired senior counsel Davinder Singh, a former PAP MP himself, wasting time in court firing numerous baseless attacks against the moral characters of the WP MPs, calling them cheats and liars nearly everyday at the court. Davinder Singh however failed to prove that the S$33 million was improper or that work has not been done, or if the payment were overcharged, even though there was no tender. An experienced town councillor witness even reminded him that a public tender does not mean cost saving, as “prices can go both ways”.