A Public Apology in Singapore

One of the best things (for me) about all the trips that Shelly takes is getting to read English-language newspapers from around the region. In the Straits Times she brought me from Singapore, I found the following apology from a local magazine publisher, taken out as a paid advertisement:

1. We, the undersigned, published and/or caused to be published and/or printed in the 2006 Issue 1 of The New Democrat, allegations which meant or were understood to mean that the Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, is dishonest and unfit for office because:

(a) Mr Lee devised a corrupt political system for the benefit of the political elite;

...

(c) Mr Lee is guilty of corruption, nepotism, criminal conduct, dishonesty, had advanced the interests of his family at the expense of the needs of Singapore, has misled Parliament and had covered his tracks to avoid criticism; and

(d) Mr Lee has managed the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation in a corrupt manner.

2. We admit and acknowledge that we have no basis for making the allegations, and that they are false and untrue.

3. We, the undersigned, do hereby unreservedly withdraw these allegations and apologise to Mr Lee for the distress and embarassment caused to him by our false and baseless allegations.

4. We hereby also undertake not to make any further allegations or statements to the same or similar effect. We have agreed to pay Mr Lee damages by way of compensation and to indemnify him for all the costs and expenses incurred by him in connection with this matter.

Now, I have no idea what The New Democrat did or did not allege, so I'm making no judgment on whether Mr Lee is corrupt or not. And that's not my point.

I'm from a country where free speech is, um, cherished more than it is in Singapore. Were this kind of public apology required every time it was alleged in print that an American official was corrupt, the size of the resulting newspapers would be so large that it would break the backs of the paper boys.

Not that I'm suggesting that anything unethical happens in Washington. Of course, it might look that way from time to time, but that's probably just the fault of muckraking newspaper publishers.