Lee Hsien Yang (LHY), the youngest son of Singapore’s late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, issued a stinging critique of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in an opinion piece for The New York Times, published on 30 April amid the ongoing General Election 2025 campaign.
Titled My Father Founded Singapore. He Wouldn’t Like What It’s Become, the op-ed accuses the PAP of drifting from the “benevolent autocracy” once led by his father to what LHY calls a “more authoritarian” and self-serving regime.
LHY, who now resides in the United Kingdom, drew a stark contrast between the ideals Lee Kuan Yew once embodied—shared prosperity, clean governance, and efficient public services—and what he sees as the ruling party’s failure to uphold those values.
“Singapore is an autocracy, but no longer the benevolent one my father envisioned,” he wrote.
Mounting Inequality and Erosion of Trust
In the piece, LHY argued that today’s Singapore disproportionately benefits the wealthy and politically connected. He described the country as “a playground of the superrich,” where ordinary citizens struggle with housing affordability and job insecurity.
“Singapore still performs well in ‘corruption perception’ indexes, but perception lags reality,” LHY wrote, citing recent scandals involving ministers, ruling party politicians, and state-linked companies. He questioned whether high salaries continue to deter misconduct, as the government has long claimed.
To underscore this concern, LHY referenced The Economist’s 2023 crony capitalism index, which ranked Singapore fourth globally—behind Russia, the Czech Republic, and Malaysia.
A Family Dispute That Became Political Exile
A personal turning point, LHY wrote, was his public dispute with his brother, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, over the fate of their family home at 38 Oxley Road.
While their father had expressed a wish for the house to be demolished, Lee Hsien Loong is said to have opposed this, citing its historical value. The Senior Minister previously stated that he left the decision to the government of the day and recused himself from the decision-making process.
LHY wrote that the disagreement escalated into a campaign of “legal retribution on trumped-up accusations,” prompting him and his wife, Lee Suet Fern, to leave Singapore in 2022, fearing arrest. In 2024, the couple was granted asylum in the United Kingdom—a move he described as a “last resort.”
Lee Suet Fern was previously suspended from legal practice for 15 months over alleged misconduct related to Lee Kuan Yew’s final will.
Their son, Li Shengwu, was fined for contempt of court after a private Facebook post critical of the judiciary surfaced publicly.
The government also accused both LHY and Lee Suet Fern of perjury in disciplinary proceedings—allegations the couple has vigorously denied.
Oxley Road: Symbol of Legacy or Political Leverage?
LHY reiterated his support for demolishing the Oxley Road house, in line with his father’s wishes.
However, the Singapore government has yet to take a definitive position.
In October 2024, the National Heritage Board announced a study to assess whether the house should be gazetted as a national monument.
Democratic Deficit and Repression
LHY claimed the government has “introduced repressive and overly broad new laws,” under the pretext of protecting national security or combating fake news, which he argued give authorities “even more tools to silence dissent.”
He wrote that the government “continues to use police investigations, defamation lawsuits and other legal actions to intimidate political opponents, civil society groups and other critics.”
As part of his argument, LHY referred to the conviction of Workers’ Party leader Pritam Singh in February 2025, writing that “a court found Pritam Singh, leader of the opposition Workers’ Party, guilty of lying under oath to a parliamentary inquiry, which he denies,” calling it an example.
Call for Political Reform
Looking ahead to the 3 May election, LHY urged Singaporeans to reject one-party dominance and push for meaningful multiparty democracy.
LHY argued that Singapore’s elections “are not free and fair,” citing “last minute redrawing of boundaries favouring the ruling party, a short nine-day campaign period and limitations on freedom of speech,” which he said disadvantage the opposition.
While acknowledging his respect for his father’s legacy, LHY rejected the long-standing belief in the efficacy of one-party rule.
He cited political scientist Samuel Huntington, who warned that the integrity of Singapore’s governance under Lee Kuan Yew may not endure after his departure.
“That prediction has sadly come true,” LHY concluded.
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