The High Court has ruled that Terry Xu’s habit of “speaking truth to power” is actually just a very expensive form of financial masochism.

For S$420,000, the chief editor of The Online Citizen has realized that K Shanmugam’s reputation is physically made of solid gold and sensitive feelings.

Judge Audrey Lim noted that Xu’s “grave” allegations about GCBs were so damaging that the ministers might have briefly felt a minor inconvenience while sipping vintage wine.

Legal analysts say this fine is a bargain, considering it includes a free tutorial on why you shouldn’t poke legal tigers with a toothpick.

Xu is currently looking for a second job that doesn’t involve typing words.