Davinder Singh Accuses Bloomberg Reporter of ‘Agenda’ in Ministers’ Defamation Trial
A high-profile defamation trial in Singapore has intensified as Senior Counsel Davinder Singh alleged that Bloomberg journalists deliberately edited a story to link two Cabinet ministers to money laundering concerns. The legal battle centers on an article published on December 12, 2024, titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy,” which has prompted lawsuits from Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.
Allegations of Editorial Manipulation
During the cross-examination of Bloomberg reporter Low De Wei (also known as Dexter) on April 14, 2026, Davinder Singh argued that the article was structured to create a false narrative. Singh contended that the reporter harbored an editorial “agenda” to frame the ministers’ property transactions as being connected to money laundering, even when sources had not explicitly focused on such crimes.
The core of Singh’s argument rests on the placement of specific content within the piece. He pointed out that in the final published version, two paragraphs discussing efforts to combat money laundering in New York and the UK were moved. According to Singh, these paragraphs were “pulled away” from a reference to Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering scandal and instead placed under a subheading titled “Non-caveated deals.”
Singh asserted that this strategic placement put the money laundering references immediately after a mention of Dr. Tan’s property deal and just before Mr. Shanmugam’s deal, effectively “spicing up” the article to suggest the system was “so opaque” that parties took advantage of a lack of checks and balances.
The Defense’s Position
In response to these accusations, Low De Wei denied any ill intention or specific agenda. Even as he acknowledged that the paragraphs in question were moved, he stated, “We don’t have any agenda.” When questioned about who was responsible for the structural changes, Low testified that he was unsure if the edits were made by himself, his editor, or another party.
Key Takeaways from the Trial
- The Lawsuit: Ministers K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng are suing Bloomberg and reporter Low De Wei over the December 2024 article.
- The Accusation: Senior Counsel Davinder Singh claims the article was edited to falsely link Good Class Bungalow (GCB) deals to money laundering.
- The Evidence: The prosecution is focusing on the shifting of paragraphs between the draft and final versions of the story.
- The Defense: The reporter denies any editorial agenda and is unclear on who finalized the article’s structure.
About Davinder Singh
Davinder Singh SC is widely regarded as Singapore’s top litigator. A former Member of Parliament for the People’s Action Party (PAP) between 1988 and 2006, Singh has a long history of representing high-profile figures, including former and current Singaporean prime ministers in civil lawsuits. After 37 years at the law firm Drew & Napier—where he served as CEO for 17 years and executive chairman for two—he established his own firm, Davinder Singh Chambers, in 2019.
Future Outlook
The trial continues to examine the boundaries between editorial discretion and defamation. The court’s decision will likely hinge on whether the structural changes in the Bloomberg article constitute a deliberate attempt to mislead readers or fall within standard journalistic editing practices.