Oxley Road site: The journey to planned preservation as a national monument

Even if the site is preserved as a national monument, all options remain open to current and future governments, as a preservation order can be amended or revoked, NHB said.

On Oct 25, Mr Lee Hsien Yang called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to make an immediate decision.

In response, the government said Mr Lee was creating “false urgency”. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information noted that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew had accepted that his home may be preserved, writing to the Cabinet in 2011 acknowledging their view that the property should not be demolished, then submitting renovation plans to URA in March 2012.

“Mr Lee Kuan Yew was, in submitting the plans, proceeding on the basis that the property will be preserved,” said the ministry.

It added that Mr Lee Hsien Yang has repeatedly cited his father’s last will but chosen not to mention that he and his wife had misled Mr Lee Kuan Yew on its execution and were found to have lied under oath.

“The affidavits were contrived to present a false picture. Several of the lies were quite blatant,” the ministry said. “Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s continued allegations must be seen in this light.”

The issue resurfaced on Nov 11 when Progress Singapore Party NCMP Leong Mun Wai and Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua raised parliamentary questions. Mr Leong questioned why another study was needed when the ministerial committee had already determined the property’s significance, while Mr Chua asked about the terms of reference for the new study.

Then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said in a written reply that the findings of the previous study were incorporated into the committee’s 2018 report, but not presented to the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.

“In view of the recent application by the owner to demolish the building, which would immediately rule out a proper and full consideration of options, NHB has commenced the process to determine 38 Oxley Road’s eligibility and suitability for preservation as a national monument,” said Mr Tong.

“This follows the usual assessment process before any building, site or structure can be preserved as a national monument, and we will apply this accordingly to 38 Oxley Road.”