SINGAPORE – A family feud between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Dr Lee Wei Ling has been thrown in the public spotlight after a series of Facebook posts by the latter.
In two posts published on her Facebook account on Sunday (April 10) at around 1pm, Dr Lee alleged that “HL has no qualms abusing his power to hv a commemoration just one year after LKY died”. It is understood that HL refers to her elder brother, PM Lee.
She also described PM Lee as a “dishonourable son”.
“I and HL (sic) are at odds on a matter of principle. HL has no qualms abusing his power to hv a commemoration just one year after LKY died, ‘least we forget’,” Dr Lee, 61, wrote.
“Let’s be real, last year’s event was so vivid, no one will forget it in one yr. But if the power that be wants to establish a dynasty, LKY’s daughter will not allow LKY’s name to be sullied by a dishonorable (sic) son. “
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These claims on Dr Lee’s Facebook page, which has since been deleted, also detailed email exchanges between Dr Lee and The Straits Times associate editor Ivan Fernandez, regarding an article she was contributing for the national daily.
Nearly 5 hours later at around 5.30pm, PM Lee responded to his sister’s claim.
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Here is PM Lee’s Facebook post in full:
“I am deeply saddened by my sister Dr Lee Wei Ling’s claim that I have abused my power to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s passing in order to establish a dynasty. The accusations are completely untrue.
The first anniversary of a person’s passing is a significant moment to remember him and reflect on what he meant to us. The more so with Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The Cabinet had discussed how we should mark the occasion. My advice was that we should leave it to ground-up efforts. Groups should keep their observances in proportion, and focussed on the future.
The Cabinet recognised the strong desire of many Singaporeans to show their respect for Mr Lee, and honour what he did for us. We reviewed the events and observances that different groups had planned, and agreed that they were generally appropriate. They expressed the sincerely felt sentiments of Singaporeans, which my Cabinet colleagues and I deeply appreciate.
The idea that I should wish to establish a dynasty makes even less sense. Meritocracy is a fundamental value of our society, and neither I, the PAP, nor the Singapore public would tolerate any such attempt.”
At the centre of the dispute is Dr Lee’s displeasure with the series of activities commemorating Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s death anniversary, which falls on March 23.A
A contributing article voicing her sentiments was penned for the Straits Times. Dr Lee later decided to retract her contribution to The Straits Times and post the article on Facebook instead.
It led to an exchange with the newspaper’s associate editor Ivan Fernandez, who had edited Dr Lee’s work since last November. Mr Fernandez pointed out that there was plagiarism in Dr Lee’s article.
Dr Lee insisted that she did not attempt to plagiarise.
“I simply forgot to acknowledge the source,” she wrote.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
The Straits Times, AsiaOne
