Thorny post: 8 Durian apologises to Ah Seng Durian for defamation, pays compensation

SINGAPORE — Durian delivery service 8 Durian got into a prickly situation over defamatory statements targeting Ah Seng Durian and has paid compensation to its rival.

Ah Seng Durian, a durian seller with a 30-year history, sent a letter of demand via its lawyer last month to 8 Durian, accusing it of publishing false and defamatory statements against Ah Seng Durian, which has two outlets at Ghim Moh Market and Bukit Merah Lane 1.

8 Durian has since published an apology on its Facebook page and website, taking full responsibility for what it said was a “series of defamatory statements together with a photo” of Ah Seng’s storefront in Ghim Moh Market first posted on 8 Durian's website.

In its apology, 8 Durian admitted that its statements were “false, baseless and defamatory”.

“We acknowledge that the statements and photo that were seemingly defamatory to you posted on the website may have caused Ah Seng Durian hurt, distress and damage to their reputation. In this regard, we hereby unreservedly and unequivocally apologise to Ah Seng Durian,” 8 Durian posted on its Facebook on 21 October.

When approached by Yahoo News Singapore, Ah Seng Durian's lawyer Clarence Lun confirmed that a compensation sum was paid to his client but declined to reveal the specific sum.

8 Durian is owned and operated by company Eight Foods, which does online delivery of food. According to 8 Durian's Facebook page, which was created on 14 June last year, it is now "permanently closed". Its website also states that all its products are out of stock.

Meanwhile, Ah Seng Durian also addressed the issue in a post on its Facebook page without naming any company.

"While we all acknowledge that negative reviews are part and parcel in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, but a clear line has to be drawn between what is false and untrue and whether such (defamatory) remarks will lower your standing in the eyes of an ordinary person," said Ah Seng Durian, which also thanked customers for their support of its business.

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