Condo chairman called managing agent a ‘joker’ in Facebook posts; ordered to pay $100k damages
His online attacks on Bellewoods condo managing agent found defamatory by court.
A condo council chairman in Singapore, Tan Eng Huat, was ordered to pay $100,000 in damages after he repeatedly accused his estate's managing agent, CWL Facilities Management, in Facebook posts and an email of being "unprofessional" and a "joker". The judge found that Tan's posts and email defamed CWL and its executive director, Derek Lit Wai Choy.
The dispute arose from Tan's attempts to remove CWL as the property's managing agent and replace it with a new one ahead of the estate's sixth annual general meeting. Tan's Facebook posts, made in September and October 2023, accused CWL of trying to prevent residents from voting and misleading them with "professional advice". Tan also wrote that CWL was "a joker" and that they were wasting money.
CWL and Lit sued for defamation, arguing that Tan's statements were dishonest, deceptive, unprofessional, and involved in illegal conduct. The judge found the posts to be defamatory and awarded general and aggravated damages of $40,000 and $10,000 each, respectively. Tan argued that his comments were fair comment and that he had an interest in communicating concerns to other residents, but the judge rejected these defenses. The judge also criticized Tan for not apologizing or retracting the posts.
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