Son of Singapore’s Modern-day Founder Lee Hsien Yang Accuses Singapore of Weaponising Laws Against Critics

Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has accused Singaporean authorities of weaponising the country’s laws against critics, claiming he is just one of many Singaporeans seeking protection abroad from their government.

Yang highlighted the tightening of security and assembly laws and a significant rise in asylum-seekers from Singapore over the past decade under the rule of his estranged brother, Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down as Prime Minister earlier this year. He asserted that Singapore has become increasingly repressive, and corruption has worsened since the death of Lee Kuan Yew.

Yang said in an interview in London on Monday, “Singapore has this veneer that purports to be a sort of affluent, democratic, free country. The veneer is quite thin.

“Beneath that there is a repressive nature to that regime and there are people fleeing from it.”

The Singaporean government responded strongly on Thursday, accusing Yang of turning a “personal vendetta into an international smear campaign against his father, his family, and his country.” 

The government claimed that Yang alleged in his asylum application that he and his family were being persecuted to prevent his son, Li Shengwu, from becoming Prime Minister, despite his son’s repeated assertions of having no such ambition.

Yang announced last week that he sought asylum due to unfounded criminal proceedings, defamation, and surveillance against him and his wife by Singaporean authorities led by his brother.

According to reports, Human Rights Watch has criticised Singapore for suppressing dissenting voices during its recent elections. The organisation also expressed concern over the stringent enforcement of a broad online falsehoods law, claiming it grants officials the power to censor online content.

Frances Ibiefo

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