Lee Hsien Yang questions continued delay on 38 Oxley Road decision on anniversary of sister’s passing

SINGAPORE: On 9 October 2025, Lee Hsien Yang issued a public statement questioning the Singapore government’s continued delay in deciding the fate of the family home at 38 Oxley Road—one year after the passing of his sister, neurologist Dr Lee Wei Ling. In a Facebook post marking the first anniversary of her death, Lee reiterated that both his sister and their late father, founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, had strongly supported demolishing the house once it was no longer inhabited. Lee wrote, “Soon after her passing in 2024, I applied for permission to demolish the house. The NHB responded with yet another assessment which would ‘take several weeks’. There has been no follow-up.” He further referenced key milestones in the prolonged deliberation process, noting that discussions on preservation began as early as 2010, and that a ministerial committee had already studied the issue between 2016 and 2017. In light of this, he asked, “How long more will it take for the PAP Government to decide?”

Lee Hsien Yang moves to fulfil his late father’s will, seeking to demolish 38 Oxley Road following Dr Lee Wei Ling’s passing

Lee Hsien Yang’s remarks renewed pressure on the government to honour Lee Kuan Yew’s stated preference that 38 Oxley Road be demolished after Dr Lee Wei Ling ceased residing there. Dr Lee passed away on 9 October 2024, having lived in the house until her death—fulfilling a key condition in her father’s final will dated 17 December 2013, which stipulated that the building be demolished thereafter. Dr Lee, who had remained in the house to ensure its continued residential use as directed by her father, also voiced her personal support for its demolition. Her will, which reiterated the explicit wish of her parents—Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo—for the demolition of their home at 38 Oxley Road, has since been granted probate. Lee Hsien Yang submitted a formal application to demolish the property shortly after her passing, on 21 October 2024. In the Facebook post announcing the application for demolition, he stated that the prolonged ambiguity undermines both respect and legal clarity, adding that, as executor of Lee Kuan Yew’s estate, he is duty-bound to see his father’s wishes fulfilled “to the fullest extent of the law.” Also, in what may be seen as a response to public allegations that he intended to sell the property for profit, Lee Hsien Yang stated that the site will remain within the family in perpetuity. He reaffirmed that, if demolition is permitted, a small private home will be built on the site for family use. In response to Lee Hsien Yang's application, the government initiated a new heritage study, announced on 24 October 2024 by then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, and led by the National Heritage Board (NHB). The study, which Tong stated would take “several weeks,” was tasked with assessing whether the property should be preserved as a national monument. The review is currently being undertaken by the NHB’s Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board, with recommendations to be submitted to the ministry. At the time, Minister Tong noted that “no option should be precluded” and urged Singaporeans to keep an open mind while the matter was under review. However, critics and observers—including Lee Hsien Yang—have questioned both the timing and necessity of a new review, especially given that a similar ministerial committee had already examined the matter in 2018. That committee, which included then-Minister Lawrence Wong as secretary, had evaluated multiple scenarios—including demolition, partial preservation, and redevelopment—but stopped short of making a definitive recommendation. Instead, it concluded that the final decision should be left to a future government.

Call for PM Wong to respect Lee Kuan Yew’s wish on 38 Oxley Road demolition

In March 2025, on the 10th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s death, Lee Hsien Yang issued a similar appeal, urging Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to “honour Lee Kuan Yew’s final wish” and to “stop kicking the can down the road.” Lee has argued that the government’s continued inaction amounts to a failure to uphold the integrity and wishes of Singapore’s founding leader. In that post, he wrote, “If the PAP government intends to trample on Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes and preserve his house, they should just do so. If not, they should permit demolition.”

Singapore govt accuses Lee Hsien Yang of creating ‘false urgency’ over 38 Oxley Road demolition

The house at 38 Oxley Road holds deep symbolic significance in Singapore’s political history. Beyond being the residence of Lee Kuan Yew, it was the venue for key political meetings that led to the formation of the People’s Action Party (PAP). While Lee Kuan Yew acknowledged the possibility of legal preservation, he ultimately reinstated the demolition clause in his final will—reflecting a clear desire to avoid the house becoming a public monument. The matter remains politically sensitive. Some commentators have suggested that the government deliberately deferred a final decision until after the general election, which concluded in May 2025, to avoid stirring controversy during the campaign period. While the Singapore government has accused Lee Hsien Yang of “trying to create a false urgency by pushing for the immediate demolition of the property,” he has charged that the PAP government is, in fact, “kicking the can down the road”—pointing to the year-long delay in concluding a review on a matter already deliberated and documented.