3. The Lee Family’s Saga – The Prime Minister’s Dilemma

Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong is in a damn if I do and damn if I don’t situation.

While the Preservation of Monuments Act does not explicitly mentioned 38 Oxley Road, still the authorities have the right to decide what to do with the house.

There’s no provision for exemption for any property or owner of any property.

The decision about what to do with the house is not as simple as many would think.

We have to take into consideration not just the will of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the desires of the Lee Family, the decisions of the leaders and people of Singapore but also the wishes of the future generations and the impact of the house on our future.

For those who want to read a detailed analysis of what could be done with 38 Oxley Road, go to the following link:

https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/download/fedora_content/download/ac:200202/CONTENT/LeoCherie-Nicole_GSAPPHP_2016_Thesis.pdf

If the PM intervenes and influences decision about the house, he may be conflicted and be accused of abusing his power.

He may lose his moral authority to lead his colleagues and quite possibly, lead his constituency and many people.

If he doesn’t, he has to face off with his siblings and quite possibly, his other family members and loved ones.

He may also lose his respect with other segments of the people.

To practice good governance, he should leave decision on what to do with the house to a credible, independent and effective entity to handle the matter.

Just as important, there are recently discovered doubts about the validity of Mr LKY’s will. This matter has to be investigated to ensure that the files are properly closed.

This is happening currently but it may not satisfy all parties and may even upset some of the parties involved.

The final decision about the house is to be made known in the future.

Some parties may not be happy and are pushing for a show of hand.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, my personal wish is that most parts of the house should be demolished.

We should remember him in our heart and through the wonderful legacy that he left behind, a legacy that can be seen and felt all around us.

Please pray that this saga will not affect the greater good of Singapore, especially at a time when we need to focus on our people, economy, stability, security and growth.

http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/internal-ministerial-committee-set-consider-options-and-implications-38-oxley-road-cabinet

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a3be461e-c6a1-4fe0-8740-f7ec29baa8ef

https://m.facebook.com/notes/irene-ng/on-family-house-and-nation/10154835196148160/

For the full report on the Parliament debate in 2015, https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/topic.jsp?currentTopicID=00007590-WA&currentPubID=00007611-WA&topicKey=00007611-WA.00007590-WA_10%2Bministerial-statement%2B

Go4It!

I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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