In the latest saga unfolding in Singapore’s political landscape, Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development, launched a fierce attack against Lee Hsien Yang (LHY), a member of the opposition party, Progress Singapore Party (PSP), and the younger brother of the current Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.
Desmond Lee, in the Petir article on Wednesday (26 Jul), “A reply to Lee Hsien Yang’s lies: ASG Desmond Lee“, accused LHY of duplicity and dishonesty.
He characterized LHY’s critique of PM Lee’s leadership – in the face of corruption investigations against Minister S Iswaran – as an attempt to topple the PAP government and defame his brother.
“I am saddened by him using falsehoods to attack his brother, who has given his life to serving Singapore.” wrote Desmond Lee.
He goes on to say: “Why is he doing this? It is consistent with his duplicitous conduct towards his father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He, together with his wife, Mrs Lee Suet Fern, had misled the late Mr Lee, in the execution of his Last Will and Testament. The Disciplinary Tribunal established to look into Mrs Lee Suet Fern’s professional conduct, said that Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s explanations had been “downright dishonest”. He had no qualms lying under oath.”
This assertion, whether accurate or not, appears to deflect attention from the critical issue at hand: the PAP’s handling of internal corruption allegations.
Desmond Lee’s article follows a Correction Direction issued to LHY under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) on Tuesday, 25 July, as directed by the Ministry of Law.
The order was issued in response to a Facebook post by LHY on Sunday (23 Jul), which allegedly contained several inaccuracies.
The POFMA statement cited inaccuracies, including the assertion that the State funded renovations to 26 and 31 Ridout Road because Ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan leased the properties, that trees at the properties were felled on their accord – which, by the way, was not said by LHY in his Facebook post, and that SPH Media Trust fraudulently inflated its circulation figures.
In his initial Facebook post, LHY accused the People’s Action Party (PAP) of losing public trust due to alleged misconduct and corruption, and his brother, PM Lee, of squandering the trust they inherited from their late father, Lee Kuan Yew, fondly recognized as the founder of modern Singapore and the architect of its success.
LHY listed several scandals, including the arrest of a cabinet minister on corruption charges, the inflation of circulation numbers by SPH Media Trust, and the resignation of the Speaker of Parliament due to an extramarital affair.
After complying with the correction direction, LHY defended his previous statements in another Facebook post, asserting that he stands by what he said. He suggested that his initial claims were not misleading and that the POFMA notice itself was deceptive.
Desmond Lee’s article in Petir underscores a concerning trend that is emerging within the PAP – an apparent double standard in the handling of internal allegations of corruption.
While Desmond Lee vehemently defends the government’s backing of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s investigation into potential corruption within its ranks, there appears to be a contrasting silence or lack of definitive action surrounding the case of Christopher de Souza, a fellow PAP member and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
As revealed by the tribunal report last December, de Souza has been found guilty of professional misconduct, representing a severe breach of his duties to the court.
The tribunal’s report found that de Souza had not made full and frank disclosure to the court when he was aware that his client had breached the conditions of a search order.
The tribunal also noted that de Souza knew there was a duty to disclose the prior use of the documents and information.
Despite the gravity of the charge, there has been no indication of the PAP taking action against him, even as he continues to hold his position as the Deputy Speaker.
The PAP merely stated that it would await the appeal verdict concerning de Souza before determining the necessary course of action.
The lack of action against de Souza starkly contrasts with the aggressive denunciation of LHY, raising questions about the party’s internal standards.
Similarly, the decision to retain Tan Chuan-Jin as Speaker of Parliament amidst the controversy of an extramarital affair, which the PAP has known about since at least 2020, highlights a troubling pattern within the PAP: a selective and biased response to allegations of misconduct based on party affiliation.
In light of these instances, LHY’s critique of the PAP raises pertinent questions about its response to internal corruption allegations.
Far from being merely a personal vendetta, as accused by Desmond Lee, his critique brings to the fore a much-needed discussion on PAP’s consistency and integrity in managing its internal affairs.
Given these circumstances, one might just have to agree with LHY when he stated that the PAP no longer deserves the trust of Singaporeans.
