\n<\/p>\n
On Oct 15, 2024, a week after Dr Lee’s death, Mr Lee Hsien Yang announced his intention to demolish the property. In a Facebook post, he confirmed he was the “sole legal owner of 38 Oxley Road”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLee Hsien Loong said in parliament in 2015 that when Wei Ling passed, it would be up to \u2018the government of the day\u2019 to decide whether to allow demolition,” he wrote in his post. \u201cIt has been nine years. That day is today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ministry of National Development said it would “carefully consider issues related to the property in due course, taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes and the public interest”.<\/p>\n
Mr Lee Hsien Yang applied to the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Oct 21 to carry out demolition works.<\/p>\n
On Oct 24, the National Heritage Board (NHB) said it would study whether the site merits preservation as a national monument. The study would be conducted by NHB’s Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.<\/p>\n
If a preservation order is made, the government “will have the time needed” to consider the options identified in the 2018 ministerial committee report, NHB said, adding that immediate demolition “will rule out a proper and full consideration of the above options”.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On Oct 25, Mr Lee Hsien Yang called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to make an immediate decision.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“Mr Lee Kuan Yew was, in submitting the plans, proceeding on the basis that the property will be preserved,” said the ministry.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n