Lee Hsien Yang objects plan to gazette 38 Oxley Road as national monument, NHB to consider objections

Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Lee Kuan Yew, has objected to the proposed gazetting of the Lee's family home at 38 Oxley Road as a national monument.

This comes after the National Heritage Board (NHB) said it intends to gazette the property at 38 Oxley Road as a national monument.

In a written objection addressed to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Lee said 38 Oxley Road “will be a monument to the PAP’s dishonour of Lee Kuan Yew”, reiterating his father’s wishes for the home to be demolished.

The letter was posted to his Facebook account on Nov. 17.

Gazetting the site means that NHB intends to acquire the property, preserve and subsequently convert it into a public space.

But the owner may submit his objections to NHB for consideration, after which the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo may decide whether or not to proceed with the preservation.

Objection

"Throughout his life Lee Kuan Yew was clear and unambiguous that he wanted his home at 38 Oxley Road demolished. He was against any monuments and this was part of the values he stood for," Lee wrote.

He added that "numerous false, convoluted and self-contradictory arguments" have been made in attempts to justify the gazetting.

"The narrative that Lee Kuan Yew changed his mind and would be 'all right' with some form of preservation of his house is also a fiction," he noted.

Lee further wrote that from 2010, the late first prime minister of Singapore was led to believe that the decision to gazette 38 Oxley had been made by the Cabinet.

"Lee Kuan Yew chose to appeal directly to the people of Singapore and directed his three children to demolish his house," the younger Lee said, referencing a line from his father's will:

“If our children are unable to demolish the House as a result of any changes in the law, rules or regulations binding them, it is my wish that the House never be opened to others except my children, their families and descendants.”

Following Lee Wei Ling's passing

When his sister Lee Wei Ling passed away on Oct. 9, 2024, Lee made an application to demolish 38 Oxley Road.

It was done so in commitment to "holding the property privately in the family in perpetuity" in accordance with his father’s wishes, Lee explained.

He also noted that published opinion polls since 2015 have all shown "overwhelming support" for honouring the late Lee’s wish for demolition.

Honouring Lee Kuan Yew's wishes

Addressing the prime minister, Lee said: "Today PM Wong, this decision sits with you, not some junior minister or committee."

"The PAP government can honour Lee Kuan Yew on a matter of deep importance to him, or trample on his wishes and create a monument to that dishonour."

PM Wong, then the National Development Minister, was a part of a ministerial committee in 2016 tasked to look into options for 38 Oxley Road.

The committee, chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, released its findings in April 2018.

It had set out three possibilities, retaining the entire building, retaining only the basement dining room, or demolishing the building fully for redevelopment.

In their report, they noted that while the late Lee’s preference was for the property to be demolished, he was also prepared to accept options other than demolition, provided that suitable arrangements were made to ensure that the property was refurbished, and kept in a habitable state and the family’s privacy was protected.

NHB's response

An NHB spokesperson said it has received written objections submitted by Lee.

"In line with due process, NHB will consider the objections received, before making its recommendations to the Acting Minister (Culture, Community and Youth) David Neo on whether to proceed with the preservation of 38 Oxley Road."

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Top photos from Lee Hsien Yang/Facebook and Mothership