Singaporeans have reminded the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) to refrain from using the late Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy for political mileage, particularly in the lead-up to the General Election.
Their concerns arose following a commemorative ceremony on 22 March at Duxton Plain Park, organised by the People’s Association.
The event marked the 10th anniversary of Lee’s passing and featured tributes from several PAP leaders.
However, many netizens have since criticised the event, recalling Lee’s clear stance against any form of memorialisation or cult of personality.
Commemorative Event at Duxton Plain Park
At the event, Cabinet Minister Indranee Rajah spoke about Lee’s enduring influence, particularly in Tanjong Pagar, where he had served throughout his political career.
Other Members of Parliament (MPs), including Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, Joan Pereira, and Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong, were also in attendance.
Guests gathered around a Tembusu tree planted in Lee’s honour in 2015, observing a minute of silence before placing flowers at its base.
The tree, a species favoured by Lee, had memorial beads around its plaque incorporating flower petals from past national tributes.
Indranee highlighted that Lee’s legacy was deeply embedded in Singapore’s landscape, including green spaces, housing, and community initiatives.
Chan echoed this sentiment, outlining three key leadership principles Lee had embodied: prioritising the country over self, exercising pragmatism and impartiality, and upholding good governance.
“The best way to honour Mr Lee’s legacy is to keep Singapore strong and thriving for generations to come,” Chan said. “Let’s continue to press on towards SG100.”
Tributes from National Leaders
Beyond the Duxton event, other national leaders paid tribute to Lee on social media.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong described Singapore as a “living testament” to Lee’s vision, built on meritocracy, economic resilience, and harmony.
“Singapore today stands as a clean, green, and dynamic city-state, admired and respected worldwide,” Wong wrote on Facebook.
“As we mark SG60 and chart our next chapter, let us honour his legacy not just in remembrance, but in action.”
Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong reflected on his father’s contributions and noted that Singaporeans continue to remember him fondly.
“To me and my family, he was our father or grandfather and meant the world to us,” he said. “May we live up to his hopes and expectations, and always do him proud.”
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also weighed in, stating that Singapore’s survival and progress were largely due to Lee and his team. He emphasised the importance of each generation shaping its own future, as Lee had always insisted.
“To live up to Mr Lee’s legacy is to keep imagining a better future and making it possible,” Tharman said.
Public Reaction: Respect Lee Kuan Yew’s Wishes
Despite the heartfelt tributes, many Singaporeans have pushed back against what they see as excessive memorialisation.
Netizens commenting on state media platforms such as The Straits Times, CNA, and Mothership pointed out that Lee had repeatedly stated he did not want any form of hero worship or commemoration in his name.
Some questioned the necessity of continued tributes, especially given his well-documented stance on the matter.
Many felt that funds and resources could be better allocated to pressing national concerns rather than ceremonies and memorials.
Critics also referenced Lee’s explicit instructions regarding his home at 38 Oxley Road.
Before his passing, he had requested that the house be demolished to prevent it from becoming a monument.
However, this request has yet to be acted upon. Some netizens highlighted that despite Lee’s clear wishes, his name continues to be invoked frequently in political discourse, with tributes and commemorations still taking place.
Others pointed to comments made by Lee’s daughter, the late Dr Lee Wei Ling, who had spoken out against hero worship.
She had previously stated that her father despised any form of idolisation, and some believe that recent memorial efforts contradict his principles.
As public discontent grows, many Singaporeans are urging the PAP to focus on governance rather than repeated tributes.
Some have called for the government to uphold Lee’s principles—such as good governance, honesty, and transparency—rather than using his name for political mileage.
Debate Over 38 Oxley Road: Upholding Lee Kuan Yew’s Final Wishes
In his Facebook post on 23 March, LKY’s son Lee Hsien Yang made a direct appeal to the PAP government, stating that preserving the 38 Oxley Road would be “against the principles [Lee Kuan Yew] stood for—a pragmatic, forward-thinking Singapore, unshackled to the past.”
He called on PM Wong to “honour Lee Kuan Yew’s final wish” and to “stop kicking the can down the road.”
Moreover, the house was not one of many wishes. Lee Kuan Yew was known for his clarity and decisiveness.
He had only two known deathbed wishes.
One of Mr Lee’s final wishes was that he not be kept on life support. He had signed an Advance Medical Directive, reportedly witnessed by all three of his children.
Despite this, he remained hospitalised and on life support for over a month following his admission on 5 February 2015, before his death on 23 March 2015.
The other, for the demolition of his house, is now in the hands of the state.
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