Former ice skating official wins $190,000 in damages in defamation case

Former Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA) honorary secretary Alicia Tan has been awarded $190,000 in damages after winning a defamation suit against an affiliate club official in the State Courts.

In a judgment released on Jan 19, the district court found that Pok Vic Sent, president of SISA affiliate Snow Leopard Speed Skating Club, had defamed Tan in a series of publications made between November 2018 and September 2021.

These publications comprised an online petition, comments on a Google document, an agenda item for SISA’s 2021 annual general meeting (AGM) arising from special resolution forms, as well as a speech accompanying a PowerPoint presentation at the meeting.

The allegations concerned Tan’s conduct in her role at the national sports association, where she served as honorary secretary from 2018 to 2022 and secretary-general from 2022 to 2025. Her daughter is national short track speed skater Amelia Chua.

Pok, whose children are also in the national squad, has been actively involved in the short track speed skating community since 2015, volunteering with SISA and helping with media production for major events.

In November 2018, he started an online petition – which garnered 50 signatures – to remove Tan from SISA’s executive committee, criticising the latter’s management style and linking her to a staff departure.

Another publication concerned an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in 2019 called to address the community’s concerns about the association’s leadership and financial management.

According to court documents, Tan’s solicitors issued a letter to Pok on Jan 27, 2022, regarding six publications, requesting that he apologise, undertake not to repeat similar allegations and compensate her for damage to her reputation.

Pok refuted Tan’s claims and did not apologise, maintaining the publications were true or true in substance.

The latter subsequently commenced legal proceedings on Oct 28, 2022.

She was represented by lawyers Loong Tse Chuan and Charlene Tan from Allen & Gledhill, while Pok was represented by lawyers Gerard Quek and Chua Ze Xuan from PDLegal.

According to District Judge Samuel Wee, Pok’s posts were “personal” and the court found that several of the publications conveyed defamatory meanings.

The court awarded Tan $130,000 in general damages and $60,000 in aggravated damages for four of the publications, bringing the total to $190,000.

The judge said aggravated damages were appropriate in part because Pok had continued to maintain the truth of the allegations and did not apologise, even after receiving a legal demand to do so.

In his judgment, District Judge Wee said the case illustrates the “dangers of echo chambers”.

He said: “(Pok’s) involvement with the dissenting segment and their group chat exchanges that repeatedly disparaged (Tan) created an environment that perpetuated negativity towards (Tan) and manifested in (Pok’s) exco removal vendetta.

“While this environment may have reinforced (Pok’s) resolve, it did not give him an unfettered right to speak against (Tan). Legal rules govern such expression, and (Pok) must face the consequences for disregarding such rules.”

When contacted by The Straits Times, Tan said she and her family are relieved and grateful for the outcome.

She added: “The defendant had made multiple allegations against me over several years.

“I felt I needed to defend myself against these allegations and protect my reputation and my family.

“It has been a long and painful experience, not just for me but also for my family. But I’m really thankful that I have finally been vindicated.”

Quek told ST that Pok has appealed against the decision. He added: “Our client has filed an appeal to the High Court.

“As such, it will not be appropriate to comment on the lower court’s decision.”

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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