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The government has denied these claims, citing the lack of substantiating evidence.<ref name="economist article"/> Noting that many opposition politicians routinely criticize government leaders but are not sued because they have not uttered slanderous falsehoods, it insists that free speech and the right to disagree are upheld<ref>{{citation|author=Yeong Yoon YIng|title=Two views of freedom of speech and law in Singapore|journal=Wall Street Journal|Publisher=The New York Times Company}}</ref> (the effects of which are characteristic of a representative democracy). The government has also pointed out that Singapore’s legal system has won excellent ratings in other international surveys.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gIkKvk-YnNQ1HVb2n_HUUMhncDLA afp.google.com/article, Hong Kong has best judicial system in Asia: business survey]</ref><ref>[http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/world/09/15/08/hong-kong-has-best-judicial-system-asia-business-survey www.abs-cbnnews.com, Hong Kong has best judicial system in Asia: business survey]</ref><ref>http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1103262/1/.html</ref>
Mr [[Lee Kuan Yew]] (previously Prime Minister, Senior Minister and Minister Mentor since Singapore's independence in 1965) has also defended the system: doing things the government's way has allowed Singapore to be prosperous, orderly and corruption-free, whilst leading international respect, and the threat of defamation proceedings may make opposition politicians weigh their words more carefully than they do elsewhere.<ref>{{citation|author=Sue-ann Chia|title=There is a conspiracy to do us in, say MM Lee; Minister Mentor rebuts human rights group criticism of Singapore|Newspaper=The Straits Times(Singapore)|Date=12 july 2008 |URL=http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_256852.html}}</ref> Also, the approaches of the Judiciary <ref>''Lee Kuan Yew v Vinocur John and others'' [1996] 1 S.L.R.(R.) 840</ref><ref>''Lee Kuan Yew v. Seow Khee Leng'' [1988] S.L.R. 832</ref> is largely due to how it feels the need to afford protection to the executive, in the hope of assisting the day-to-day functioning of the executive.<ref>{{citation|author=Cameron Sim|title=THE SINGAPORE CHILL: POLITICAL DEFAMATION AND THE NORMALIZATION OF A STATIST RULE OF LAW|journal=Pacific Rim Law & Policy Journal|date=March 2011|p. 319 at 331}}</ref>
The importance of representations of political opinions in Singapore's system of representative democracy have therefore been carefully balanced with the greater good of a more effective executive, and the need to preserve public order in society.
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