Singapore PM denies sister's claim of abusing power

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong denied his sister's claim of abusing power to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew's passing in order to establish a dynasty.

In response to his sister Lee Wei Ling's claim, Lee Hsien Loong said that he was "deeply saddened" and the accusations were "completely untrue."

March 23 is the one-year anniversary of the death of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yue. To commemorate his contributions to the country, Singapore has held various events recently. However, Lee's daughter, or the current Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's sister wrote an article on social media earlier, saying that her father "would have cringed at the hero worship just one year after his death."

"Any veneration could have the opposite effect and lead future generations of Singaporeans to think that my father's actions were motivated by his desire for fame, or creation of a dynasty. He strove hard and determinedly in life to advance Singapore, and not for his place in history, or leaving a great legacy. He is a rare politician and leader, who did what he had to do with no thought to any gain for himself," she wrote.

And in one of her emails with editors of the Strait Times, on which she often publishes her articles, she said that his brother, Lee Hsien Loong had "no qualms abusing his power to (have) a commemoration just one year after Lee Kuan Yew died."

In response, Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday said on his facebook page that his sister's claim was untrue.

"The first anniversary of a person's passing is a significant moment to remember him and reflect on what he meant to us. The more so with Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The Cabinet had discussed how we should mark the occasion. My advice was that we should leave it to ground-up efforts. Groups should keep their observances in proportion, and focussed on the future," he explained.

"The Cabinet recognised the strong desire of many Singaporeans to show their respect for Mr Lee, and honor what he did for us. We reviewed the events and observances that different groups had planned, and agreed that they were generally appropriate. They expressed the sincerely felt sentiments of Singaporeans, which my Cabinet colleagues and I deeply appreciate," he added.

He had also said that the accusations of him building up a dynasty "makes even less sense". "Meritocracy is a fundamental value of our society, and neither I, the PAP (People's Action Party), nor the Singapore public would tolerate any such attempt," he said. Enditem