Singapore’s PM: I am fulfilling my father’s dying wishes for 38 Oxley Road
Accusations from his siblings that he abused his power are baseless, Lee Hsien Loong tells Parliament, but adds that he will not take his family to court
The late Lee Kuan Yew endorsed plans to refurbish his century-old house in preparation for its possible preservation as a national monument, his eldest son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in Parliament on Monday in a revelation that sharply contradicted accusations made by his younger siblings in their ongoing public feud over the patriarch’s legacy.
Premier Lee said his father, Singapore’s revered independence leader, told the family in 2011 it was “best to redevelop” the bungalow at 38 Oxley Road “right away” after his death – following a proposal by him and his wife Ho Ching. Lee Kuan Yew died at age 91 in 2015 after a six-decade political career including 31 years as Singapore’s first Prime Minister.
In the highly anticipated speech to lawmakers, Lee also said he will not sue his younger siblings Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Wei Ling for the abuse of power accusations they made against him over the last three weeks. Lee had lifted the parliamentary whip for his ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in the special debate on the feud, to allow its lawmakers to grill him without fear of overstepping party lines. The party has been in power since 1959 and controls 83 out of 89 elected seats.
Lee, who took over from his father’s successor Goh Chok Tong as premier in 2004, said suing his younger siblings would “further besmirch my parents’ names”.
“At the end of the day, we are brother and sister, and we are all our parents’ children,” said the premier.