SINGAPORE: The site at 38 Oxley Road, where the family home of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew sits, has been assessed to be worthy of preservation as a national monument for its historic significance and national importance.
Built in the late 19th century, the house is closely associated with key events in Singapore's history. Founding fathers such as Dr Goh Keng Swee and Dr Toh Chin Chye held meetings in its basement dining room in the 1950s, which led to the formation of today's ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Mr Lee lived there from the 1940s until his death.
His three children – Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and the late Dr Lee Wei Ling – also grew up there.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew had on several occasions publicly expressed his wish for the house to be demolished after his death. In an October 2010 letter to the Cabinet, he stated it should “not be kept as a kind of relic for people to tramp through” and that it has “no merit as architecture”.
In his 2011 book Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going, he said: "Because of my house, the neighbouring houses cannot build high. Now demolish my house and change the planning rules, go up, the land value will go up."
He reiterated his stance in a July 2011 letter to the Cabinet, but faced opposition from ministers.
In December 2011, Mr Lee wrote that he had reflected on the matter after the Cabinet unanimously opposed demolition, and decided that if the property were to be preserved, it should have its foundations reinforced and be refurbished and let out for people to live in, as an empty building would “soon decline and decay”.
Yet in his final will executed in 2013, Mr Lee returned to saying he wanted the house demolished, or if that were not possible, closed to everyone except family and descendants.
On Jun 14, 2017, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee took to social media to accuse then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of misrepresenting their father for political gain. They said that their father had wanted the house at 38 Oxley Road demolished, and that they felt threatened in trying to fulfil this wish.
They also accused Mr Lee Hsien Loong of abusing his government influence to drive a personal agenda.
A day later, Mr Lee Hsien Loong posted a five-page statement on Facebook saying he had "serious questions" about how his father's last will was prepared. He said that when the will was read on Apr 12, 2015, Mr Lee Hsien Yang had repeatedly insisted on immediate demolition, and that the discussion ended only when Dr Lee said she wished to continue living there.
Upon Mr Lee Kuan Yew's death, his estate was divided equally among the three siblings, with his final will including a clause allowing Dr Lee to stay in the house for as long as she desired.
To resolve the dispute, Mr Lee Hsien Loong proposed transferring his share to Dr Lee for a nominal sum of S$1, on condition that any future proceeds go to charity. But a resolution proved impossible.
After the 2015 General Election in September, Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang agreed to a fresh proposal by Mr Lee Hsien Loong to transfer his share to Mr Lee Hsien Yang at market value, with both brothers donating half that amount to charity. This was to pre-empt future controversies over compensation or redevelopment proceeds.
Mr Lee Hsien Loong said at the time: "This is consistent with the position that I had always held and conveyed to my family: that it is not tenable for the family to retain proceeds from any dealing with 38 Oxley Road, as it would look like the family is opposing acquisition and preservation of the house for monetary reasons."
He added that Mr Lee Hsien Yang "was and continues to be unhappy about my taking this position. So, it would appear, is Lee Wei Ling".
Five days after his siblings went public with their accusations, Mr Lee Hsien Loong apologised to Singaporeans for the effect on the country's reputation and public confidence in government. In a statement on Jun 19, 2017, he added that "as the eldest of the siblings, it grieves me to think of the anguish that this would have caused our parents if they were still alive".
The saga made international headlines, leading Mr Lee Hsien Loong to deliver a ministerial statement in parliament on Jul 3, 2017. Urging MPs to "examine the issues thoroughly and question me and my Cabinet colleagues vigorously", he said he hoped a full airing would dispel doubts and strengthen confidence in the country's institutions.
A ministerial committee on 38 Oxley Road was convened, chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. It included Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, Minister for Law K Shanmugam and Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong (now prime minister).
On Apr 2, 2018, the committee released a final report with three proposals - retaining the house in whole; retaining just the historic basement dining room; or allowing demolition.
"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, citing the demolition clause in the last will, the December 2011 Cabinet letter and renovation plans submitted to URA in March 2012.
The report made no recommendations and noted "there (was) no need to make a decision on the property" at the time, as Dr Lee was still living there.
In his 2017 ministerial statement, Mr Lee Hsien Loong noted that the demolition clause had been removed in the fifth and sixth versions of the will, and only reinserted in the seventh and final will.
The first six wills were prepared by Mr Lee Kuan Yew's lawyer, Madam Kwa Kim Li, between August 2011 and November 2012. She was not involved in preparing the seventh and final will, executed on Dec 17, 2013, with the involvement of Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern, a lawyer.
Mrs Lee was found guilty by a disciplinary tribunal on Feb 18, 2020, of grossly improper professional conduct in handling her father-in-law's last will. On Nov 20, 2020, a court suspended her from practice for 15 months.
Both bodies found that Mrs Lee and her husband had misled the late Mr Lee in the execution of his last will, and that they had lied under oath during proceedings.
The couple left Singapore on Jun 15, 2022, after deciding not to attend a scheduled police interview related to the matter. Mr Lee Hsien Yang said after his sister's death in October 2024 that he would not return for the wake and funeral.
Mdm Kwa was also ordered to pay S$13,000 in penalties over misconduct in 2023 – S$5,000 for failing to "scrupulously safeguard" Mr Lee's confidentiality, and S$8,000 for misleading Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee in an email response to their queries.
On Oct 15, 2024, a week after Dr Lee's death, Mr Lee Hsien Yang announced his intention to demolish the property. In a Facebook post, he confirmed he was the "sole legal owner of 38 Oxley Road".
“Lee Hsien Loong said in parliament in 2015 that when Wei Ling passed, it would be up to ‘the government of the day’ to decide whether to allow demolition," he wrote in his post. “It has been nine years. That day is today.”
The Ministry of National Development said it would "carefully consider issues related to the property in due course, taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew's wishes and the public interest".
Mr Lee Hsien Yang applied to the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Oct 21 to carry out demolition works.
On Oct 24, the National Heritage Board (NHB) said it would study whether the site merits preservation as a national monument. The study would be conducted by NHB's Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.
If a preservation order is made, the government "will have the time needed" to consider the options identified in the 2018 ministerial committee report, NHB said, adding that immediate demolition "will rule out a proper and full consideration of the above options".
Even if the site is preserved as a national monument, all options remain open to current and future governments, as a preservation order can be amended or revoked, NHB said.
On Oct 25, Mr Lee Hsien Yang called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to make an immediate decision.
In response, the government said Mr Lee was creating "false urgency". The Ministry of Digital Development and Information noted that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew had accepted that his home may be preserved, writing to the Cabinet in 2011 acknowledging their view that the property should not be demolished, then submitting renovation plans to URA in March 2012.
"Mr Lee Kuan Yew was, in submitting the plans, proceeding on the basis that the property will be preserved," said the ministry.
It added that Mr Lee Hsien Yang has repeatedly cited his father's last will but chosen not to mention that he and his wife had misled Mr Lee Kuan Yew on its execution and were found to have lied under oath.
"The affidavits were contrived to present a false picture. Several of the lies were quite blatant," the ministry said. "Mr Lee Hsien Yang's continued allegations must be seen in this light."
The issue resurfaced on Nov 11 when Progress Singapore Party NCMP Leong Mun Wai and Workers' Party MP Louis Chua raised parliamentary questions. Mr Leong questioned why another study was needed when the ministerial committee had already determined the property's significance, while Mr Chua asked about the terms of reference for the new study.
Then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said in a written reply that the findings of the previous study were incorporated into the committee's 2018 report, but not presented to the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.
"In view of the recent application by the owner to demolish the building, which would immediately rule out a proper and full consideration of options, NHB has commenced the process to determine 38 Oxley Road's eligibility and suitability for preservation as a national monument," said Mr Tong.
"This follows the usual assessment process before any building, site or structure can be preserved as a national monument, and we will apply this accordingly to 38 Oxley Road."
On Monday (Nov 3), the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board announced that the site has been assessed to be of “historic significance and national importance, and worthy of preservation as a national monument”.
Based on this assessment, the NHB has recommended that the site be preserved.
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo has accepted NHB's recommendation and intends to gazette the site as a national monument.
If a preservation order is made, the government intends to acquire the site to safeguard and preserve it, said a joint media release from the NHB and the Singapore Land Authority.
“If the site is preserved and acquired, the government will convert it into a public space, with one possible outcome being a heritage park. This means that the site cannot be redeveloped for residential, commercial or other private uses,” it added.
The owner of the site, an entity called 38 Oxley Road Pte Ltd that is wholly owned by Mr Lee Hsien Yang and lists his son Li Huanwu as its sole director, has until Nov 17 to submit an appeal.
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Built in the late 19th century, the house is closely associated with key events in Singapore's history. Founding fathers such as Dr Goh Keng Swee and Dr Toh Chin Chye held meetings in its basement dining room in the 1950s, which led to the formation of today's ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Mr Lee lived there from the 1940s until his death.
His three children – Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and the late Dr Lee Wei Ling – also grew up there.
WHAT DID LEE KUAN YEW WANT FOR THE HOUSE?
Mr Lee Kuan Yew had on several occasions publicly expressed his wish for the house to be demolished after his death. In an October 2010 letter to the Cabinet, he stated it should “not be kept as a kind of relic for people to tramp through” and that it has “no merit as architecture”.
In his 2011 book Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going, he said: "Because of my house, the neighbouring houses cannot build high. Now demolish my house and change the planning rules, go up, the land value will go up."
He reiterated his stance in a July 2011 letter to the Cabinet, but faced opposition from ministers.
In December 2011, Mr Lee wrote that he had reflected on the matter after the Cabinet unanimously opposed demolition, and decided that if the property were to be preserved, it should have its foundations reinforced and be refurbished and let out for people to live in, as an empty building would “soon decline and decay”.
Yet in his final will executed in 2013, Mr Lee returned to saying he wanted the house demolished, or if that were not possible, closed to everyone except family and descendants.
HOW IT BECAME A PUBLIC ISSUE
On Jun 14, 2017, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee took to social media to accuse then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of misrepresenting their father for political gain. They said that their father had wanted the house at 38 Oxley Road demolished, and that they felt threatened in trying to fulfil this wish.
They also accused Mr Lee Hsien Loong of abusing his government influence to drive a personal agenda.
A day later, Mr Lee Hsien Loong posted a five-page statement on Facebook saying he had "serious questions" about how his father's last will was prepared. He said that when the will was read on Apr 12, 2015, Mr Lee Hsien Yang had repeatedly insisted on immediate demolition, and that the discussion ended only when Dr Lee said she wished to continue living there.
Upon Mr Lee Kuan Yew's death, his estate was divided equally among the three siblings, with his final will including a clause allowing Dr Lee to stay in the house for as long as she desired.
To resolve the dispute, Mr Lee Hsien Loong proposed transferring his share to Dr Lee for a nominal sum of S$1, on condition that any future proceeds go to charity. But a resolution proved impossible.
After the 2015 General Election in September, Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang agreed to a fresh proposal by Mr Lee Hsien Loong to transfer his share to Mr Lee Hsien Yang at market value, with both brothers donating half that amount to charity. This was to pre-empt future controversies over compensation or redevelopment proceeds.
Mr Lee Hsien Loong said at the time: "This is consistent with the position that I had always held and conveyed to my family: that it is not tenable for the family to retain proceeds from any dealing with 38 Oxley Road, as it would look like the family is opposing acquisition and preservation of the house for monetary reasons."
He added that Mr Lee Hsien Yang "was and continues to be unhappy about my taking this position. So, it would appear, is Lee Wei Ling".
Five days after his siblings went public with their accusations, Mr Lee Hsien Loong apologised to Singaporeans for the effect on the country's reputation and public confidence in government. In a statement on Jun 19, 2017, he added that "as the eldest of the siblings, it grieves me to think of the anguish that this would have caused our parents if they were still alive".
HOW THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED
The saga made international headlines, leading Mr Lee Hsien Loong to deliver a ministerial statement in parliament on Jul 3, 2017. Urging MPs to "examine the issues thoroughly and question me and my Cabinet colleagues vigorously", he said he hoped a full airing would dispel doubts and strengthen confidence in the country's institutions.
A ministerial committee on 38 Oxley Road was convened, chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. It included Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, Minister for Law K Shanmugam and Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong (now prime minister).
On Apr 2, 2018, the committee released a final report with three proposals - retaining the house in whole; retaining just the historic basement dining room; or allowing demolition.
"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, citing the demolition clause in the last will, the December 2011 Cabinet letter and renovation plans submitted to URA in March 2012.
The report made no recommendations and noted "there (was) no need to make a decision on the property" at the time, as Dr Lee was still living there.
WHAT ROLE DID WILL DISPUTES PLAY?
In his 2017 ministerial statement, Mr Lee Hsien Loong noted that the demolition clause had been removed in the fifth and sixth versions of the will, and only reinserted in the seventh and final will.
The first six wills were prepared by Mr Lee Kuan Yew's lawyer, Madam Kwa Kim Li, between August 2011 and November 2012. She was not involved in preparing the seventh and final will, executed on Dec 17, 2013, with the involvement of Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern, a lawyer.
Mrs Lee was found guilty by a disciplinary tribunal on Feb 18, 2020, of grossly improper professional conduct in handling her father-in-law's last will. On Nov 20, 2020, a court suspended her from practice for 15 months.
Both bodies found that Mrs Lee and her husband had misled the late Mr Lee in the execution of his last will, and that they had lied under oath during proceedings.
The couple left Singapore on Jun 15, 2022, after deciding not to attend a scheduled police interview related to the matter. Mr Lee Hsien Yang said after his sister's death in October 2024 that he would not return for the wake and funeral.
Mdm Kwa was also ordered to pay S$13,000 in penalties over misconduct in 2023 – S$5,000 for failing to "scrupulously safeguard" Mr Lee's confidentiality, and S$8,000 for misleading Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee in an email response to their queries.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN?
On Oct 15, 2024, a week after Dr Lee's death, Mr Lee Hsien Yang announced his intention to demolish the property. In a Facebook post, he confirmed he was the "sole legal owner of 38 Oxley Road".
“Lee Hsien Loong said in parliament in 2015 that when Wei Ling passed, it would be up to ‘the government of the day’ to decide whether to allow demolition," he wrote in his post. “It has been nine years. That day is today.”
The Ministry of National Development said it would "carefully consider issues related to the property in due course, taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew's wishes and the public interest".
Mr Lee Hsien Yang applied to the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Oct 21 to carry out demolition works.
On Oct 24, the National Heritage Board (NHB) said it would study whether the site merits preservation as a national monument. The study would be conducted by NHB's Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.
If a preservation order is made, the government "will have the time needed" to consider the options identified in the 2018 ministerial committee report, NHB said, adding that immediate demolition "will rule out a proper and full consideration of the above options".
Even if the site is preserved as a national monument, all options remain open to current and future governments, as a preservation order can be amended or revoked, NHB said.
On Oct 25, Mr Lee Hsien Yang called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to make an immediate decision.
In response, the government said Mr Lee was creating "false urgency". The Ministry of Digital Development and Information noted that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew had accepted that his home may be preserved, writing to the Cabinet in 2011 acknowledging their view that the property should not be demolished, then submitting renovation plans to URA in March 2012.
"Mr Lee Kuan Yew was, in submitting the plans, proceeding on the basis that the property will be preserved," said the ministry.
It added that Mr Lee Hsien Yang has repeatedly cited his father's last will but chosen not to mention that he and his wife had misled Mr Lee Kuan Yew on its execution and were found to have lied under oath.
"The affidavits were contrived to present a false picture. Several of the lies were quite blatant," the ministry said. "Mr Lee Hsien Yang's continued allegations must be seen in this light."
The issue resurfaced on Nov 11 when Progress Singapore Party NCMP Leong Mun Wai and Workers' Party MP Louis Chua raised parliamentary questions. Mr Leong questioned why another study was needed when the ministerial committee had already determined the property's significance, while Mr Chua asked about the terms of reference for the new study.
Then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said in a written reply that the findings of the previous study were incorporated into the committee's 2018 report, but not presented to the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.
"In view of the recent application by the owner to demolish the building, which would immediately rule out a proper and full consideration of options, NHB has commenced the process to determine 38 Oxley Road's eligibility and suitability for preservation as a national monument," said Mr Tong.
"This follows the usual assessment process before any building, site or structure can be preserved as a national monument, and we will apply this accordingly to 38 Oxley Road."
On Monday (Nov 3), the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board announced that the site has been assessed to be of “historic significance and national importance, and worthy of preservation as a national monument”.
Based on this assessment, the NHB has recommended that the site be preserved.
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo has accepted NHB's recommendation and intends to gazette the site as a national monument.
If a preservation order is made, the government intends to acquire the site to safeguard and preserve it, said a joint media release from the NHB and the Singapore Land Authority.
“If the site is preserved and acquired, the government will convert it into a public space, with one possible outcome being a heritage park. This means that the site cannot be redeveloped for residential, commercial or other private uses,” it added.
The owner of the site, an entity called 38 Oxley Road Pte Ltd that is wholly owned by Mr Lee Hsien Yang and lists his son Li Huanwu as its sole director, has until Nov 17 to submit an appeal.
Continue reading...