Hoo boy, this one鈥檚 a doozy. Under the cover of night at 2:20am this morning, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong鈥檚 two siblings 鈥 Dr Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang 鈥 launched a bombshell of a statement publicly denouncing their brother.
And we really mean it when we said bombshell. It鈥檚 nearly six whole pages of explaining how they feel deeply disturbed by the actions of Singapore鈥檚 prime minister, and how they鈥檝e lost confidence in him 鈥 to the聽point that they feel threatened by his 鈥渕isuse鈥 of power in driving an alleged personal agenda. Prime Minister Lee鈥檚 wife, Ho Ching, wasn鈥檛 spared聽from their arrows either, as they named her as an accomplice to the alleged shenanigans.
The crux of their denunciation however relates to the sibling鈥檚 long-running dispute over the demolition of their father鈥檚 (Lee Kuan Yew, FYI, the founding PM of Singapore) house at 38 Oxley Road. Basically, Wei Ling and Hsien Yang want to carry out the home’s demolition, because that鈥檚 what their father explicitly requested聽in his will. The prime minister however is said to be fighting the demolition, and wants to 鈥渋nherit Lee Kuan Yew鈥檚 standing and reputation for themselves and their children鈥.
It鈥檚 a pretty lengthy, passionate press release 鈥 and a troubling one, considering the country鈥檚 most powerful individual聽is being slammed in public by his own family. Among the accusations lobbed at PM Lee and his wife:
- Upright leaders of 鈥渜uality and integrity鈥 in the public service are being constrained by the prime minister鈥檚 misuse of power.
- Both PM Lee and Ho Ching want to milk Lee Kuan Yew鈥檚 legacy for their own political purposes, and harbour political ambitions for their son Li Hongyi.
- Ho Ching has been ordering around people in the public service, even though she holds no elected or official position in government.
- PM Lee only pretends to espouse meritocracy, and has spoken of a 鈥渘atural aristocracy鈥.
- PM Lee and his wife have opposed the demolishing of the Oxley Road house (even when Lee Kuan Yew was alive) and even wanted to move into the house. If they weren鈥檛 able to, the house would need to be preserved to 鈥渆nhance his political capital鈥.
- Lee Kuan Yew was 鈥渁nguished and despondent鈥 that his own son opposed his wishes to demolish the Oxley Road house.
- PM Lee threatened and demanded his siblings to stay silent about their father鈥檚 wish to demolish the house.
- PM Lee鈥檚 lawyer sent letters making accusations and misrepresentations questioning the circumstances under which Lee Kuan Yew鈥檚 last will was executed.
- Despite numerous assertions that he would recuse himself from all government decisions involving 38 Oxley Road, PM Lee鈥檚 working behind the scenes to make sure that the house isn鈥檛 demolished.
- PM Lee is said to have every incentive to preserve the house because he wants to inherit Lee Kuan Yew鈥檚 credibility, standing and reputation.
But perhaps Wei Ling and Hsien Yang saved the biggest condemnation for last:
鈥淭he values of Lee Kuan Yew are being eroded by his own son. Our father placed our country and his people first, not his personal popularity or private agendas.
We are very sad that we have been pushed to this. We feel hugely uncomfortable and closely monitored in our own country. We do not trust Hsien Loong as a brother or as a leader. We have lost confidence in him.鈥
Harsh. But to air out such a monumental denunciation in public 鈥 it can鈥檛 just be about a house right? There鈥檚 gotta be other elements in play to prompt such a strong response by the siblings about the man who has all the power in the world to bury them.
When Hsien Yang’s own son 鈥 Harvard junior fellow Li Shengwu 鈥 chooses to speak out as well, you know things are not going聽well among Singapore’s most powerful family.
PM Lee has since issued his own statement against his siblings, expressing disappointment that they鈥檝e publicized private family matters. The allegations were denied, and their claim called absurd.
鈥淢y siblings鈥 statement has hurt our father鈥檚 legacy,鈥 he said. 鈥淪ince my father鈥檚 passing in March 2015, as the eldest son I have tried my best to resolve the issues among us within the family, out of respect for our parents.鈥
Whatever it is, we鈥檙e looking forward to see how the mainstream media鈥檚 going to be handling this explosive revelation. If they鈥檙e downplaying its impact and refuse to look further into聽the serious allegations, then we鈥檒l know who鈥檚 pulling their strings.
In the meantime, enjoy this wee little ditty about the聽hullaballoo, sung in the tune of Panic! At The Disco’s I Write Sins Not Tragedies.
