Thean J

On September 21, 1981 the Singapore Democratic Party ("SDP"), a registered political party in Singapore, held its inauguration at the Singapore Conference Hall auditorium starting at 6.30 p.m. To this inauguration was invited the Plaintiff who was at that time, and still is, the secretary-general of the Workers' Party ("WP"), another registered political party in Singapore. At the time when the Plaintiff was invited he intimated to Chiam See Tong, secretary-general of the SDP, that he (the Plaintiff) had a dinner engagement on the same evening as the inauguration and would therefore have to leave after his speech, and this was acceptable to the SDP.

The Plaintiff and the chairman of the WP, Wong Hong Toy, attended the SDP's inauguration, and as a guest speaker the Plaintiff took his seat at the rostrum in the company of the leaders of the SDP, whilst his chairman sat with the audience. The Plaintiff was the first main speaker after words of welcome from the leaders of the SDP, adoption of the SDP's constitution and the swearing-in ceremony of the office bearers of the SDP. The Plaintiff was the only guest speaker and was the most popular man that evening; he received rounds