SM Lee has no comment on Oxley Road site, has recused himself since 2017

On Nov. 3, the National Heritage Board (NHB) announced that it intends to gazette the site at 38 Oxley Road as a national monument.

In response to media queries, Senior Minister (SM) Lee Hsien Loong's Press Secretary had this statement:

"SM Lee has recused himself from the matter since 2017. He has no comment to add."

Background

In Jul. 2017, SM Lee said in a ministerial statement to Parliament that he had recused himself from all government decisions after his father's death in 2015 and the Parliament sitting afterwards.

"I was conflicted, being my father's son and the inheritor of the house, and also the Head of the Government. It was not proper for me to take part in any decisions on 38 Oxley Road."

He added that at the next Cabinet meeting, two days after the Parliament sitting, he recused himself from all discussions and decisions relating to the house.

He placed then-DPM Teo Chee Hean in charge, and this was formally recorded in the cabinet minutes.

SM Lee explained:

"From that point on, I have been out of the loop whenever the government handles matters concerning the house. I play no part in any of the discussions or decisions.

Whenever the Cabinet deliberates on the house, for example when it set up a ministerial committee, I absent myself, and DPM Teo chairs the meeting."

DPM Teo's statement

In Jul. 2017, then-DPM Teo gave a ministerial statement of his own.

Teo said that then PM Lee informed the Cabinet on April 15, 2015 that he would recuse himself from all Government decisions to be taken on the House.

Teo added that it was proper for SM Lee to recuse himself as there is a conflict of interest between his public role as the head of Government, and his private role as son of Lee Kuan Yew, and in addition, because he had been bequeathed the property.

Top image from PMO and Gov.sg YouTube.