In response to press queries on the withdrawal of the defamation suit against Singapore Press Holdings and The Straits Times senior writer Susan Long by Mr T.T. Durai, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and the NKF in the High Court today (12 July 2005), SPH issued the following statement:

"We are glad Mr T.T. Durai and the NKF have withdrawn the suit and have now acknowledged that the article in question was accurate and fair. SPH and The Straits Times have had to defend themselves vigorously to protect the integrity of the newspaper and its duty to raise issues of legitimate public interest."

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Co. Regn. No: 198402868E
12 July 2005

For more information, please contact:

Ms Irene Ngoo
Vice President
Corporate Relations
Singapore Press Holdings
Tel: 6319 1216
Fax: 6319 8150
E-mail: ingoo@sph.com.sg

About SPH
Main board listed Singapore Press Holdings Limited is the leading media company in Singapore, in the print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. It publishes 13 newspapers in the four official languages and more than 70 magazine titles. Everyday, 2.78 million individuals, or 90 per cent of people above 15 years old, read one of the SPH publications. Its Internet Business Unit manages the online editions of SPH's major newspapers and magazines, which together enjoy over 250 million pageviews a month. SPH also owns a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40% stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes free newspaper Today. It also operates two entertainment radio channels, UFM 100.3 FM in Chinese and WKRZ 91.3 FM in English, under a joint venture company UnionWorks with NTUC Media.