Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong apologises for family feud and vows to refute siblings’ allegations he abused power

Premier Lee made his statement six days after the two younger siblings dramatically thrust the dispute into the public gaze with a six-page news release

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Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:45pm, 19 Jun 2017Updated: 3:42pm, 17 Dec 2019

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday apologised to citizens for the embarrassment the bitter public feud between him and his siblings had brought to the city state, and vowed to refute their allegations that he abused his executive power.

The premier – whose People’s Action Party (PAP) has for decades held a parliamentary supermajority – said he would grant government MPs a free vote when he gives the issue a full airing in the legislature on July 3.

Such a move is rare in Singapore. The PAP, in power since 1959, was co-founded by the three siblings’ father Lee Kuan Yew, who is credited with shaping the tiny nation into one of the world’s wealthiest and stable places within a single generation.

The three are the children of the Lion City’s revered founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. The patriarch died in March 2015 after a near five decade political career, which he held the premiership for 31 years. The two younger siblings Lee Hsien Yang, 59, and Lee Wei Ling, 62, allege that the premier abused his powers to prevent them from demolishing the family home – one of the patriarch’s final wishes he included in his final will.

The abuse of power allegations made by his two siblings have “hurt Singapore’s reputation and Singaporeans’ confidence in the government,” the premier said in a video statement that was aired on the state broadcaster Channel NewsAsia at 7.30pm.