DISPUTE OVER 38 OXLEY ROAD
The family home has been a subject of public interest since the elder Lee’s death on Mar 23, 2015. Dr Lee continued living there after her brothers moved out.
In June 2017, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee took to social media and accused Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the then Prime Minister, of misrepresenting their father for political gain and that the elder Lee had wanted their family home to be demolished.
Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee alleged they felt threatened in trying to fulfil their late father’s wish to demolish the house. They also accused Mr Lee Hsien Loong of abusing his influence in government to drive his personal agenda.
The saga then made headlines in some of the world’s biggest newspapers, which led to Mr Lee Hsien Loong delivering a ministerial statement in parliament on Jul 3, 2017, to address the allegations.
A ministerial committee on the 38 Oxley Road chaired by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, which included then Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, Minister for Law K Shanmugam and then Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong, would later consider the fate of the house.
In April 2018, the committee released its final report on the matter with three proposals: Retaining the house in whole, retaining just its historic basement dining room and allowing it to be demolished.
“In reaching our views on Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes, we relied particularly on the objective evidence placed before us and the key concrete steps that Mr Lee Kuan Yew himself took in his lifetime to put his wishes into effect,” Mr Teo said previously.
“This included the demolition clause in Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s last will, his letter to Cabinet dated Dec 27, 2011, as well as the renovation/redevelopment plans for 38 Oxley Road which he submitted to the URA in March 2012, and obtained approval for.”
The report did not make any recommendations and noted that “there (was) no need to make a decision on the property” at the time as the Dr Lee was still living there.
“The various options in the report are meant to help a future government make an informed and considered decision when the need arises,” it said.
