SINGAPORE – Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of modern Singapore’s founder Lee Kuan Yew, said on Tuesday that he is now a political refugee from Singapore under the United Nations Refugee Convention.
Mr Lee, the estranged brother of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said in a Facebook post that he is at “well-founded risk of persecution and cannot safely return to Singapore”. said he made the decision.
“I have sought asylum protection as a last resort. I remain a Singaporean citizen and hope that one day I will be able to return home safely,” he said.
Channel News Asia reported that the Singapore government, citing a response purportedly provided to the Guardian newspaper, said the claims of persecution were baseless and baseless.
The British High Commission in Singapore did not respond to requests for comment.
Lee Hsien Yang, who passed away on October 9, and his sister Lee Wei-Ling had a conflict with their older brother, Lee Hsien Loong, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to May of this year, over what to do with their family home after their father’s death. Ta. In 2015, the brothers became estranged after a public argument.
Lee Hsien Yang said she applied for asylum protection in 2022, citing government persecution of herself and her family, and was unable to return for her sister’s funeral as a result.
Last week, he said he would apply to have Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s house demolished in line with his father’s wishes.
In response, the government said it would properly consider issues related to the property.
