Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong issued a short response to his siblings, Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Weiling, who are embroiled in a family feud with him, stating that he shares their wish to manage the disagreement in private.

In a reply issued to the media, he said: "That is exactly what I have been trying to do."

He also revealed that he had rejected a ceasefire offer from them, given the conditions that they had stipulated, as it would have been "improper and irresponsible".

On July 6, the Lee siblings had issued an elaborate response to what had transpired on Monday and Tuesday in parliament.

In a joint statement, they repeated the allegations against PM Lee but offered an olive branch by claiming that they welcome his desire to manage his disagreement with them in private and look forward to "talking without the involvement of lawyers or government agencies".

Here is PM Lee's reply in full:

REPLY FROM PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG TO THE PUBLIC STATEMENT BY DR LEE WEI LING AND MR LEE HSIEN YANG

I note my siblings’ public statement dated 6 July. I share their wish not to carry on the dispute in public and to manage the disagreement in private. That is exactly what I have been trying to do.

My siblings’ statement also repeats their previous allegations against me. I have already refuted these and stand by what I have said.

My siblings referred to a ceasefire offer from them. They wanted me to call off my Ministerial Statement and the debate in Parliament, disband the Ministerial Committee, and not respond to their accusations. I could not agree to do any of that. It would have been improper and irresponsible.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean has also released a statement earlier on July 6 night, noting the conciliatory turn of events. He described the move by the Lee siblings as a "positive development".

Here is DPM's statement in full:

I note that Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang have stated on 6 July 2017 that they welcome Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s desire, stated on 4 July 2017, to manage the disagreement in private. Like most Singaporeans, I regard this as a positive development.

With regard to Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s allegations against the Ministerial Committee, public agencies and public officers, the Government has already responded comprehensively to all of them in Parliament.

With this development, I hope that we can all work together and focus our energy on taking Singapore forward.

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