38 Oxley Road may be developed into a public space 'in a manner that respects Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes for privacy'.
The government completed the acquisition process and took possession of the site today, the Straits Times reported. The site was gazetted as a national monument on Dec 12 last year and was later gazetted for government acquisition on Jan 29.
In a Facebook post today, Lee’s younger son Hsien Yang called the compulsory acquisition of the site a repudiation of his father’s values and “a flagrant disregard for his long-held wish” for the building to be demolished.
Hsien Yang and his late sister Wei Ling had accused their elder brother Hsien Loong, now a senior minister, of wanting the pre-war one-storey bungalow preserved for political gain, contrary to their father’s wishes that it be demolished.
Hsien Loong dismissed their accusations, telling Parliament of concerns over the “troubling circumstances” around the preparation of Lee’s final will.
In a statement today, the Singapore Land Authority and the National Heritage Board said they will undertake a detailed study of the site and the options “for how it can be developed into a public space in a manner that respects Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes for privacy”.
Singaporean culture, community and youth minister David Neo has previously said that the government’s intention is to develop the site into a public space, such as a heritage park.
A spokesman for the land authority said it could not provide details of how much was paid to acquire the site, as such information is available only to the landowner. Hsien Yang was the last registered owner of the property. - FMT
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