PropNex Realty changes law firm in ‘99-to-1’ suit to avoid conflict of interest

[SINGAPORE] Property agency PropNex Realty has changed its law firm to Rajah & Tann in the “99-to-1” lawsuit to avoid conflict of interest as one of its agents is also being sued.

Previously, Withers KhattarWong represented the property agency and its agent Ian Sng, and had filed defences for both against claims from the claimant Melvin Li.

Both the agent and the agency had disputed Li’s allegations and claims in their defences filed in February, with PropNex Realty denying that it should be made responsible for its fellow defendant’s acts.

Now that it is handling the case, Rajah & Tann said that it “is reviewing the matter, and will advise on the appropriate steps to be taken to protect PropNex’s interests”, in response to The Business Times’ query on whether it will file a different defence or update it for PropNex Realty.

PropNex Realty (a unit of mainboard-listed PropNex), City Law and Sng have been sued for about S$1.2 million after Li was made to top up the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) and pay surcharges imposed by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore for his purchases of a 1 per cent interest in each of his parents’ condominium apartments.