It’s sad that despite Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (PM)’s attempts to clear the air, Lee Hsien Yang (LHY) and Lee Wei Ling (LWL) continue to cast doubts about his integrity and honesty.
Regardless of whether the allegations are from friends, fools or foes, such allegations should not be taken lightly.
What’s more, these allegations were raised by family members.
As siblings, they are presumed by many to know the PM in a deeper way.
When anybody pass libelous remarks against the top person in the cabinet, these allegations should be vigorously refuted as one of the top priorities of the PM and the government.
Otherwise, the PM and the government may not have the moral authority to lead the people and run the country.
The first thing to do is question the motives of the protagonists.
Why would the Prime Minister want to do what he was accused of doing?
Was it for money, power, sex, glory and vengeance as these are major factors that have caused the downfall of many political leaders?
Let’s examine each of these possible motives.
First, money.
The PM has made public that 38 Oxley Road was left to him as part of his equal share of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s estate.
To appease his siblings, he was prepared to sell the house to LWL for a nominal $1 subject to the condition that proceeds from sale of the house in the future should be donated to charity. LWL rejected the offer.
Subsequently, he sold the house to LHY and all proceeds from the sale has been donated to charity.
In short, the PM did not profit financially from the house.
In fact, in the process of transacting the property and settling other related issues, I’m sure he lost time, energy and even money.
Secondly, power.
The PM has already announced that he planned to step down as the Prime Minister after the next general election.
Meanwhile, he and his colleagues have continued to enroll, groom, and put in place a fourth generation of leadership.
Being an intelligent person and having won the 2015 General Election by a commendable margin, if the PM wants to perpetuate his power, he can adopt a much better approach.
Thirdly, sex is out of the question.
Fourthly, glory.
It’s not hard to believe that fighting against his father’s personal wishes and the Preservation of Monuments Act does not make sense.
It does not bring personal glory, honour, prestige and pleasure.
Finally, vengeance.
This motive is virtually impossible.
The PM can’t be so dumb as to involve so many of his colleagues to do the dirty job and allow them to consult ESM Goh Chok Tong and potentially others too.
He’s smarter than to use the government’s machinery to help him inflict pain on his siblings and do it in such an open and explicit way.
Case in point, the PM does not have to apologize to our people and make a Ministerial Statement in Parliament on 3 July 2017 and subject himself to potential shame and disgrace.
The PM’s motives are clear and in good faith and they are congruent with the detailed information that he has provided to the public.
However, if you start to question the motives behind actions of Lee Hsien Yang and his wife, Lee Suet Fern (LSF) in this saga, the plot starts to thicken.
Why did LHY and LWL release their statement at about 2am and do it when the PM was out of the country?
Why did they not do a statutory declaration if they believe they are telling the truth?
Why did they not come forward to explain the questionable circumstances behind crafting of Mr LKY’s final will?
Why did they not clarify about LSF’s potential conflict of interest in helping to craft the final will, after all she’s a prominent lawyer and should be able to give a better response?
Why are they not responding to all the issues raised by the PM and his colleagues, including DPM Teo Chee Hean and Minister K. Shanmugam and members of the public?
If LHY and LSF believe that the government’s machinery is against them, why are they staying around and not running away or seeking political asylum to protect themselves and their children?
Why don’t LSY, LWL and LHY convene a press conference for both local and overseas journalists and subject themselves to public scrutiny and clear their names?
Suffice to say there are many other questions running through my mind and floating around in the public. So far, there are no or a lack of responses to these questions.
Go4It!
I hope this message will find a place in your heart.
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