JUDGMENT

FA Chua J:

The plaintiff, a political party in Singapore, is suing Tay Boon Too for damages for slander. Tay Boon Too is a member of the People's Action Party, another political party in Singapore, and he was nominated for election to Parliament for the constituency of Paya Lebar in the 1972 general elections (Suit 1913 of 1972).

The plaintiff had also nominated a candidate for election to Parliament for the same constituency.

The plaintiff is also suing the Attorney General for damages for libel contained in a radio broadcast and published by the Department of Broadcasting, Ministry of Culture, on 26 August 1972 (Suit 1207 of 1973.)

By an order of Court of 11 February 1974, these two actions were ordered to be consolidated.

The PAP held a public election rally at Lorong Tai Seng in the constituency of Paya Lebar on the night of 25 August 1972. Tay Boon Too was one of the speakers.

That same night in the 11 p.m. regular news broadcast of Radio Singapore the following item of news was broadcast:

At another PAP rally in Lorong Tai Seng, the PAP's candidate for Paya Lebar, Mr. Tan Boon Too, accused the Workers' Party of having received $600,000 from a foreign country fo