As the Lee family saga rumbles on, the contest for public opinion goes down to the wire, ahead of the key July 3 parliamentary session where PM Lee Hsien Loong will deliver a ministerial statement refuting allegations made by his siblings Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Wei Ling about his abuse of power.

On July 2 evening, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean issued a response to Lee Hsien Yang through his press secretary criticising his "selective and inaccurate account" of his exchanges with the 38 Oxley Road ministerial committee.

Lee Hsien Yang had intensified his attacks on PM Lee in recent days, over the dispute regarding their father, founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's house. He had put up a Facebook post in the morning of July 2 describing the committee as "neither transparent nor proper".

He also accused his brother, PM Lee, of an "extra-judicial secret attack" through the setting up of the committee to bypass the court system.

In the statement, DPM's press secretary Lee May Lin rebutted Lee Hsien Yang's claims that the committee had not explained to him and his sister, Lee Wei Ling, the purpose and scope of its works.

She enclosed letters dated July 27, 2016 and Aug. 24, 2016, in which she said the committee "had made clear" to the two siblings the "purpose and scope" of its work.

She also said that the committee has no power to decide on the validity of the Last Will, and this is a matter between Lee Hsien Yang and PM Lee.

She said the circumstances of the Last Will became relevant as Lee Hsien Yang had placed reliance on one part of a specific clause in the Last Will, and not its other part, as the primary evidence of Lee Kuan Yew's intent with regards 38 Oxley Road.

"Just because Mr LHY found some questions inconvenient to answer, that does not mean that the Committee abused its power or did wrong."

DPM Teo will be giving a ministerial statement in Parliament on July 3, explaining the work of the committee.

Read DPM Teo's Press Secretary's full response below:

Response to Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s statement

Mr Lee Hsien Yang (LHY)’s statement on 2 July 2017 presents a selective and inaccurate account of his exchanges with the Ministerial Committee on 38 Oxley Road (the House).

The Committee sought Mr LHY and Dr Lee Wei Ling (LWL)’s views on the late Mr Lee’s wishes and thinking in July 2016. In its initial letters, the Committee had made clear to Mr LHY and Dr LWL the purpose and scope of the Committee’s work. This includes (1) Why the Committee was formed; (2) Who it reports to (namely Cabinet); (3) What it would look into; and (4) Why Mr LHY’s input would be useful.

The Committee told him clearly that:

(1) it was listing the various options for the House, to present to Cabinet;

(2) the Committee was not going to make any recommendations;

(3) the Government had no intention of making any decision on the House, as long as Dr LWL resides there. Mr LHY himself had acknowledged this, in one of his subsequent replies.

As such, it was clear to all parties involved that the Government was not making an immediate decision on the House, and that no decision may be necessary for another 20-30 years.

Enclosed are letters dated 27 July 2016 and 24 August 2016 to Mr LHY which make these points clear.

The Committee has no power to decide on the validity of the Last Will. It was made clear to Mr LHY that the Committee is not the place where decisions on the legal validity of the Last Will can be made, and this is a matter between him and Mr Lee Hsien Loong (LHL).

The Committee also made clear to Mr LHY from the outset that his provision of any reply was purely voluntary. On this basis, Mr LHY proceeded to make various submissions to the Committee, both last year and into this year.

The circumstances of the Last Will became relevant because Mr LHY’s representations to the Committee placed reliance on one part of the Last Will as the primary evidence of Mr Lee’s intent. He wanted the Committee to focus on one part of the clause relating to Mr Lee’s wishes on the House, and not its other part.

When the circumstances related to the drafting of the Last Will were brought to the Committee’s attention, Mr LHY’s views on this were sought. In the same vein, the Committee had also posed questions to Mr LHL, based on representations made by Mr LHY and Dr LWL.

Just because Mr LHY found some questions inconvenient to answer, that does not mean that the Committee abused its power or did wrong.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will provide a fuller explanation in Parliament on 3 July 2017.

Lee May Lin

Press Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean

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