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SINGAPORE: Singapore's Law Minister, K Shanmugam, said it is the duty of all citizens to condemn attacks made on the country's judiciary.
He was responding to questions at a community event on Wednesday on the recent behaviour of Singapore's opposition politicians, Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin, at the High Court.
This was during a hearing to assess damages for defamation to be awarded to Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
The Chee siblings were found guilty of contempt of court and surrendered themselves on Wednesday to begin their jail sentences.
Mr Shanmugam said: "If you take a country like Singapore, based on democratic principles, and you look at the institutions that underpin our society, then conceptually, rule of law is important.
"It means independence of the judiciary and equality of everyone before the law. In order to have that – not just as a slogan but in reality – you need an independent judiciary that really protects the citizens and, in fact, anyone who goes before the courts. People must have confidence that the judiciary is independent.
"In order to make sure that we protect the integrity of the judiciary and people's confidence in the judiciary is not affected, you have to be very, very strict with anyone who attacks the judiciary in scurrilous ways or calls into question its independence."
- CNA/so
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