15-10-2024 (SINGAPORE) Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has declared his intention to demolish the historic family residence at 38 Oxley Road. The announcement, made via a social media post on 15 October, comes just days after the passing of his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling.
Mr Lee Hsien Yang stated his plans to replace the pre-war bungalow with a “small private dwelling”, emphasising that the new structure would remain within the family’s possession indefinitely. However, he did not specify which authorities he would approach for the necessary permissions.
This move marks the latest chapter in a contentious saga that has gripped the nation’s attention for years. The property, which holds significant historical value, has been at the centre of a familial dispute involving Mr Lee Hsien Yang, Dr Lee Wei Ling, and their elder brother, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The controversy stems from differing interpretations of the late Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes regarding the property. Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling, who were joint executors of their father’s will, have consistently maintained that their father desired the house to be demolished after Dr Lee Wei Ling no longer resided there. They previously accused Senior Minister Lee of wanting to preserve the house for political gain, allegations which he firmly refuted in Parliament.
In his recent statement, Mr Lee Hsien Yang reasserted his claim to the property, declaring himself the “sole legal owner” and “the only living executor” of his father’s estate following his sister’s death. He emphasised his duty to fulfil his father’s wishes “to the fullest extent of the law”.
The timing of this announcement is particularly significant, as it follows Senior Minister Lee’s 2015 parliamentary statement that the decision regarding demolition would be up to “the Government of the day” after Dr Lee Wei Ling’s passing. Mr Lee Hsien Yang pointedly remarked, “It has been nine years. That day is today.”
This development has reignited public interest in the fate of 38 Oxley Road, a property deeply entwined with Singapore’s national history. The house, where Lee Kuan Yew lived for most of his life, was the site of numerous crucial meetings during Singapore’s formative years.
