Lee Hsien Yang claims increasing repression and corruption in Singapore; the government calls the claims a “personal vendetta.”

Lee Hsien Yang (LHY), the youngest son of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has been sharply critical of the Singapore government, alleging increased repression and corruption since his father’s death in 2015.

Currently resides in the United Kingdom, where he and his wife Lee Suet Fern have been received political asylumLHY claims he fled his homeland because of a targeted campaign by the authorities to silence him.

Talking to Associated Press in London, he described Singapore as a country where laws were “weaponised” against dissenting voices, claiming he was one of several Singaporeans seeking protection abroad.

In an interview, LHY criticized his brother, the exiled former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, claiming that legal crackdowns had intensified under his brother’s government, leading to tighter restrictions on freedom of assembly and speech.

According to LHY, recent laws have severely curtailed the rights of citizens, contributing to an increase in the number of Singaporean asylum seekers. UN data shows that by June 2024, 322 Singaporeans had sought refugewhich is a significant increase from 88 in 2019. LHY attributes this rise to government repression and the erosion of civil liberties.

“Singapore looks like a prosperous, democratic, free country. The veneer is pretty thin,” LHY said, describing his view of the repressive regime behind the nation’s outward wealth.

He accused the government of using defamation lawsuits, financial sanctions and surveillance against political opponents, including himself and his family.

In response to an AP inquiry about LHY’s claims against the government, Singaporean authorities issued a scathing statement Thursday, describing his allegations as a “personal vendetta” that escalated into a smear campaign against “his father, his family and his country.”

According to the government, LHY’s charges include assertion said in his asylum application that the authorities targeted his family to prevent his son Li Shenwu from becoming prime minister if he decided to enter politics. The government denies this charge, citing that Shenwu himself has no political ambitions.a

The government also condemned LHY’s characterization of Singapore, saying it distorted the situation as part of a campaign against the country’s image.

LHY’s conflict with his brother and the People’s Action Party (PAP)-dominated government has intensified in recent years, especially after he joined the opposition Singapore Party in 2020.

He alleges that the act triggered a series of “false, abusive and unwarranted” actions by the Singaporean authorities, including what he described as baseless criminal proceedings, defamation cases and increased surveillance of him and his wife.

There was power investigation LHY and his wife Lee Suet Fern for allegedly perjury and lying under oath during the disciplinary trial involving LSF regarding the last will of Lee Kuan Yew. This investigation focuses on the alleged misrepresentation of the role of LKY’s lawyer, Kwa Kim Lee (KKL), in the preparation of the will — a claim that has been disproved separate disciplinary court regarding KKL, finding it guilty of falsely denying its involvement.

LHY was ordered to indemnify Ministers K. Shanmugam and Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan in a recent defamation suit after they allegedly alleged in a Facebook post that they engaged in corrupt practices by leasing government property on favorable terms. LHY paid damages to prevent his family home from being seized, but claimed the allegations were “baseless and offensive”.

Authorities brought to criminal liability LHY’s son Li Shenwu over a private social media post in 2017, claiming it criticized the judiciary. He was fined S$15,000. After the dispute, Li Shenwu did not return to Singapore, fearing further action from the government.

“The trial is technically over. However, I believe there is a significant risk that my uncle, the Prime Minister, will find a reason to imprison me if I return to Singapore. He likes to repeat old arguments.Li Shenwu wrote in X’s post in 2022.

The Lee family’s dispute reportedly stems from differing views on the fate of their family residence following Lee Kuan Yew’s death, with two family members insisting on carrying out their father’s last wish, even if it meant opposition Singapore Government.

LHY claims that he, as the sole executor of the will, requested that the house be demolished in accordance with his father’s wishes, even though state officials opposed the plan.

In an interview with AP, LHY says that Singapore’s anti-corruption record appears to be deteriorating.

He noted several high-profile financial scandals involving Singaporean financial institutions, including seizure of assets worth S$3 billion in 2023 as part of an international money laundering investigation.

In addition, LHY cited Singapore’s links to Malaysia’s 1MDB corruption case and Brazil’s Operation Car Wash as examples of what he believes is leading to lower standards in Singapore’s financial institutions. He argued that such incidents reflected the deterioration of standards under his brother’s rule.

However, Singaporean authorities disputed LHY’s claims, pointing to the country’s strong anti-corruption record and high international reputation for transparency indices.

Officials point to recent actions, such as the indictment of S Iswaran, a former cabinet minister, on corruption charges as evidence of the government’s commitment to tough anti-corruption measures. However, on the day of the hearing of the charges were downgraded to the lesser offences, many of which were merely taken into consideration, of which Iswaran pleaded guilty.

The government also claims that members of the LHY family benefited from Singapore’s economic success and were free to participate in politics during the 2020 election.

The government maintains that LHY’s departure was voluntary as both he and his wife retain their Singaporean citizenship and, according to officials, remain free for return to Singapore. They have not confirmed whether they will face additional charges if he returns, or whether they will be allowed to leave the country.

LHY declined to speculate on whether he would take on a leadership role in the opposition. Still, he intends to continue speaking out about Singapore’s problems and against policies he sees as oppressive.

“I have no doubt that every time I do this, I risk being the victim of further attacks by the Singaporean authorities,” he said.

Expressing hope for political reforms, he added: “I think the day will come when everything will change. I hope that it will come in my life and that one day I will be able to go home.”

Despite ongoing accusations from both sides, the impact of LHY’s comments on Singapore’s international reputation and the PAP’s domestic image remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch have noted the government’s recent moves to restrict free speech, including through the use of Singapore’s Protection Against Online Falsification and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

Human Rights Watch criticized the act as a censorship tool that the Singaporean authorities believe is necessary to prevent disinformation.

At this point, the feud in the Lee family, which was once mostly limited to family differences and simmering tensions, has flared up again and turned into an international debate, especially after LHY’s recent refugee status and his new call to demolish his father’s house.

This has raised questions about Singapore’s approach to governance, political freedom and corruption amid the unfolding of LHY’s claims.