Son of Singapore's founding PM Lee says he plans to demolish family home

By Xinghui Kok

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -The youngest child of Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said on Tuesday he would apply to demolish the statesman's home in line with his wishes, following the death of Lee's daughter last week.

Lee Kuan Yew's three children - eldest Lee Hsien Loong, who was Singapore's third Prime Minister, his sister Lee Wei Ling and younger brother Lee Hsien Yang - were split on what to do with their father's home after his death in 2015, in a public spat that saw the siblings estranged.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Lee Hsien Yang wrote he would apply to demolish the house and planned to build a small private dwelling to be retained by the family, adding that it was time for the government to approve the demolition.

"After my sister's passing, I am the only living executor of my father Lee Kuan Yew's estate," he said. "In his will, he wished for the house to be demolished 'immediately after' Wei Ling moved out of the house. It is my duty to carry out his wishes to the fullest extent of the law."

Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down as prime minister earlier this year, thought it should be up to the government to decide what to do with the property, including potentially retaining it as a heritage landmark.

However, Lee Wei Ling, who died on Oct. 9, and Lee Hsien Yang said the single-storey bungalow, built in 1898 in central Singapore, should be demolished in accordance with their father's wishes.

Singapore's Ministry of National Development said it had taken note of Lee Hsien Yang's comments."Government will carefully consider issues related to the property in due course, taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes and the public interest, including considering any applications with regard to the property," it said in an emailed statement.

Lee Kuan Yew told the Straits Times newspaper in 2011 that he wanted the house demolished because it would "become a shambles" if it were opened to the public, and he hoped its removal would improve land values in the neighbourhood.

In 2018, a ministerial committee set up to consider the future of the house laid out three options, and said the decision would be left to a future government.

The options were to retain the property by gazetting it as a national monument or for conservation, retain the basement dining room which has the greatest historical significance and tear down the rest of the property, or allow the property to be fully demolished for redevelopment.

At that time, Lee Hsien Loong said he accepted the committee's conclusion and the range of options laid out.

(Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Additional reporting by Danial Azhar in Kuala Lumpur; Writing by John Mair; Editing by Stephen Coates and Christian Schmollinger)