The only light-hearted remark from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's very serious Ministerial Statement on the alleged abuse of power on 38 Oxley Road at the parliamentary sitting on July 3 occurred in the middle of his speech:

"Regarding the house (Lee Kuan Yew's house along 38 Oxley Road), and how its continued existence enhances my aura as PM, if I needed such magic properties to bolster my authority even after being your PM for 13 years, I must be in a pretty sad state.

PM Lee added that "if such magic can work, Singapore, must be in an even sadder state".

PM spoke about his siblings' allegations against his wife and son

PM Lee was addressing the issue in the context of nepotism, as his siblings Lee Wei Ling (LWL) and Lee Hsien Yang (LHY) made allegations about it concerning PM Lee's wife Ho Ching and his son, Hongyi.

PM Lee reiterated his son's comment two weeks ago, when Hongyi said,

“For what it is worth, I really have no interest in politics”

In his speech, PM Lee said that he has also not "pushed him (Hongyi) to enter politics".

So, one thing's clear from the whole Oxley Road saga, Hongyi will not be a politician. #Confirmpluschop

On his wife, PM Lee said that Ho, as Temasek Holdings CEO, reports to the board, chaired by former Minister Lim Boon Heng. And the Singapore state investment company answers to its shareholder, which is Minister Heng Swee Keat's Ministry of Finance.

PM Lee said that he has "every confidence" that both Lim and Heng "understand the meaning of good corporate governance", adding that he has "no doubt that the Temasek Board, the President and CPA know what their duty is" if Ho "ever behaves improperly".

Back to the house

Two of out of three PMs -- the late Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong -- have indeed lived in 38 Oxley Road house, thus giving rise to this strange superstition that there are "magical properties" from the house.

The irony of it all is that besides the late LKY and Kwa Geok Choo, Lee Wei Ling is probably the resident who has lived in the house for the longest period of time.

And no one, including Singaporean feminists, thinks that Lee Wei Ling is the next candidate to be Singapore's PM.

Top photo designed by Tan Guan Zhen.