The lorry he was driving veered across three lanes before crashing into oncoming traffic, including a car driven by Emeritus Professor Tan Yock Lin.

Cordlife said the sum its client is claiming for is between $60,000 and $250,000.

The 55-year-old man, who has not been named, has been suspended from duties, MFA said.

The High Court previously granted default judgment in favour of ministers K. Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan, after Mr Lee Hsien Yang failed to respond to their defamation suits against him.