Govt: Lee Hsien Yang's persecution claims are without basis

Statements that Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his family are victims of “unfounded” persecution are without basis, said the Singapore Government in response to queries from British newspaper The Guardian.

In a story published on Oct 22, The Guardian reported that Mr Lee had been granted asylum in the UK in August 2024, after fleeing what he described as “a campaign of persecution”. He had applied for asylum in 2022.

In the Guardian report, Mr Lee said that Singapore’s Government had turned on him after he endorsed the opposition, and that despite its economic prosperity, “there’s a dark side to it, that the Government is repressive”.

In a social media post at 1pm Singapore time, about two hours before The Guardian published its story, Mr Lee, the younger son of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, said he is now a political refugee in the UK.

He remains a Singapore citizen and “hope(s) that some day it will become safe to return home”, he added.

In a statement to The Guardian, which it also released to the Singapore media on Oct 22 – before the report was published – the Singapore Government addressed statements by Mr Lee and questions from the publication. The questions were also released to the Singapore media.

The Guardian raised several statements in its e-mail that the Government rebutted.

It asked: “This (Mr Lee being granted asylum) indicates that the UK considers credible his allegations that the Government of Singapore, presided over by his brother Lee Hsien Loong, had been conducting a campaign of persecution against him.”

The e-mail goes on to detail the said campaign, including the “baseless criminal prosecution” of Mr Lee and his eldest son Li Shengwu, and the “baseless criminal prosecution against (his wife) Mrs Lee Suet Fern” regarding her conduct as a lawyer, among other things.

Responding, the Government reiterated its longstanding position on these points.

It said that the courts had earlier found the couple had lied, and had presented “an elaborate edifice of lies”, both on oath and in public statements.

In view of these findings, the police commenced investigations on the couple for potential offences of giving false evidence in judicial proceedings, and had approached the couple on June 9, 2022, it said.

They left Singapore on June 15, after confirming with the police on June 13 that they would be interviewed that day.

They did not turn up for the interview, and informed the police by e-mail that they will not participate in the investigation, it said.

The Government added that there are no legal restraints on Mr Lee and Mrs Lee, or their son, Mr Li, returning to Singapore.

It said: “Mr Li was ordered to pay a fine for contempt of court in August 2020, which he has paid. He is not facing any other police charges.”

The Guardian also stated that it intends to report that this alleged campaign of persecution has been overseen by the ruling People’s Action Party and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s elder brother. This is both while he was prime minister and in his current role as SM, in which capacity he retains significant influence in Singapore.

The e-mail adds: “Lee Hsien Yang and his family have been targeted by the Singaporean Government because of his outspoken criticism of the PAP and of Lee Hsien Loong. The PAP and the Singaporean Government view Lee Hsien Yang as a credible political threat in Singapore, owing to his status as the son of Lee Kuan Yew.”

Responding, the Government said it has stated on many occasions that SM Lee had long recused himself on all matters relating to 38 Oxley Road.

It said: “He is not involved when the Cabinet discusses these matters. Nor is he consulted by any agency of the Government in any decision pertaining to members of his family.”

It added that it is taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s views on 38 Oxley Road. “While he preferred demolition, he was also willing to consider other options such as refurbishing and redesigning the interior,” said the Government.

At the root of the issue is a legal disagreement between SM Lee and his younger siblings over the fate of their late father’s house in Oxley Road.

The e-mail also put to the Government that the UK granting Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s claim for asylum indicates that these allegations of persecution are regarded as credible, and that this adds to allegations by human rights groups that the rulers of Singapore do not tolerate dissent, and use means including a pliant legal system to intimidate their critics.

It also asked about allegations that Singapore plays a major role in facilitating transnational corruption and money laundering, and that the benefits of Singapore’s economic growth have been concentrated in the hands of the PAP leaders and their allies.

In response, the Government said Singapore’s judiciary is impartial and makes decisions independently and this is why Singaporeans have a high level of trust in it – pointing to international corruption perceptions rankings where Singapore fares better than the UK.

It added that Singapore has a robust system to deter and tackle money laundering and other illicit financial flows, which is consistent with international standards. It also said: “The assertion that the benefits of Singapore’s economic growth are concentrated in the hands of PAP leaders and their allies is far from the lived experience of Singaporeans.

“Real wages of the 20th percentile worker have risen cumulatively by 30 per cent over the past 10 years, faster than that of the median worker at 22 per cent.”