Lee Hsien Yang, the younger son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has recently been granted asylum in the UK after fleeing what he claims was persecution. In a report from The Guardian on October 22, Lee shared that his support for the opposition party following the division within his family led to a rift with the government established by his father.

He stated, “Despite Singapore’s thriving economy, there is a dark side: the government is oppressive. People think of this place as some kind of paradise, but it’s not.”

Tensions within the Lee family escalated when Lee Hsien Yang, along with his sister Lee Wei Ling, publicly clashed over the fate of their father’s estate while their brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, was in office. Following the recent passing of Lee Wei Ling, the siblings had accused Lee Hsien Loong of misusing his powers for personal political gain.

The legal battles surrounding Lee Kuan Yew’s estate have spanned several years, with allegations of perjury against Lee Hsien Yang and his wife. His son accused ministers and the judiciary of defamation, resulting in a court ruling against him. Lee Hsien Yang claims that under Lee Hsien Loong’s leadership, he faced “groundless accusations” and a series of lawsuits targeting him and his family, convincing him that remaining in Singapore posed a threat to his safety.

Now a refugee in the UK, Lee commented on Singapore’s self-proclaimed commitment to the rule of law, stating, “However, at its core, we retain these oppressive measures.”

In 2020, Lee Hsien Yang joined the opposition Progress Singapore Party, believing that the legal challenges faced by him and his family are politically motivated. He also mentioned that he has long been a target of surveillance in Singapore.

When asked about Lee Hsien Loong’s influence, he asserted, “In a heavily controlled country like Singapore, no such actions could occur without Lee Hsien Loong’s consent and approval.”

After two years in the UK, he was granted asylum in August, expressing, “I see this as recognition that Singapore has been persecuting me.”

In response, the Singaporean government emphasized that the country’s judicial system is independent and fair, dismissing Lee Hsien Yang’s accusations as baseless.