AIRVIEW TOWERS - black day for minorities

Airview Towers lone minority owner lost at the Court of Appeal.

He was ordered to pay costs at the three levels; STB, High Court and Appeal Court.

Tan Siew Tian and Others v Lee Khek Ern Ken[2008] SGCA 25

Decision date: 24 June 2008 ( free to view for 3 months)

Ruling Overturned
Straits Times - 25 April 2008
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Airview Towers en bloc case back to STB

Straits Times - 25 April 2008

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Majority Owners at Airview Towers win appeal
Business Times- 25 April
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For His daughters, he fought an en bloc battle alone
Weekend Today- 26 April 2008
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After a very lengthy conversation with a learned friend on this issue, I have come to a different level of understanding and retract my earlier statements on Airview Towers on the matter of costs. As an outsider not armed with all the facts and as a layperson not conversant in legal matters - it was an easy conclusion to jump to. Easy but wrong.

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To fall at the last hurdle is tough, but the court is bound to be impartial and the loser pays the costs, regardless. Unless the winning party shows compassion and allows each to pay their own costs there is nothing they, the judges, can do. In this case, the lawyers for the majority turned down the judges' suggestion that each pay their own costs and so there the matter rests.

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Airview Towers is not over yet, as it now goes back to the STB and the remaining 8 points of contention may be raised again for ruling.
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