Lee Kuan Yew’s Son Condemns Plan to Preserve Family Home as National Monument

Government Moves to Preserve 38 Oxley Road

The Singapore government announced plans to preserve the late founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s family home at 38 Oxley Road as a national monument, following a recommendation from a heritage advisory body that the site is of “national significance, with great historic merit, and worthy of preservation.” Acting Culture Minister David Neo said the house had "borne witness to discussions and pivotal decisions that shaped the course of Singapore's history," and that preserving it would safeguard “a key part of our independence journey for future generations.”

Family Rift Deepens

Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Lee Kuan Yew and current owner of the property, strongly criticized the announcement, accusing the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) of disrespecting his father’s wishes. In a Facebook post he said the government had “trampled on Lee Kuan Yew’s unwavering wish to demolish his private house,” noting that Lee repeatedly insisted in his final years and in his will that the home should be demolished.

“He regarded his whole house as private and wanted it demolished in its entirety,” Lee Hsien Yang wrote.

The dispute has been a bitter and public family quarrel between Lee Hsien Yang and his elder brother, former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, since their father’s death in 2015. Lee Hsien Yang and their late sister, Lee Wei Ling, have accused the eldest brother of using his position to block demolition. Lee Hsien Loong has said the final decision rests with the government, though he personally favors honoring their father’s wish for demolition.

What the Government Intends

Officials said they have served the property owner with written notice of their intention to issue a preservation order. The government indicated it intends to acquire the site and possibly convert it into a public space — for example, a heritage park — while stating it would try to respect Lee Kuan Yew’s privacy by removing traces of his and his family’s private living spaces.

Background and Legal Matters

The two‑storey, eight‑bedroom house was built in 1898 and sits on prime central land in Singapore. Lee Hsien Yang applied for planning permission to demolish the house after his sister Lee Wei Ling, who had been living there, died last year. Lee Hsien Yang and his wife have said they were granted asylum in the U.K., which he described as protection from political persecution; they are also the subject of official probes into allegations that they provided false evidence in legal proceedings related to Lee Kuan Yew’s will.

The issue raises competing considerations: the expressed personal wishes of a seminal national leader, complex family dynamics, and the public interest in preserving sites tied to a country’s founding history. The government now faces the challenge of balancing those factors amid intense public and private scrutiny.