Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday rejected claims from his siblings that he abused power and engaged in nepotism as he faced parliament over a family feud that has shocked Singapore.
Lee and the two younger children of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding leader, have since last month been waging a bitter war of words on social media over their revered father's legacy.
"Their allegations are entirely baseless," Lee told a regularly scheduled session of parliament.
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivers a ministerial statement on the dispute over his late father Lee Kuan Yew's house, July 3, 2017. /Screenshot of Lee Hsien Loong's Facebook page
His sister Wei Ling and brother Hsien Yang accuse the premier of exploiting their father's legacy for his own political agenda, and seeking to groom his son to one day become leader of the city-state.
It is an escalation of a feud over a family bungalow that has simmered since the death in March 2015 of the elder Lee, who transformed the city-state into one of the world's wealthiest societies.
Lee Hsien Loong to avoid legal action against siblings
The prime minister called for an open debate in parliament after the attacks on Facebook against him and his wife Ho Ching, who heads state investment fund Temasek Holdings.
Lee, who had earlier apologized to the nation for the open squabbling and admitted it had damaged Singapore's reputation, Monday firmly rejected the claims in a statement to the legislature.
The house of Singapore's late founding father Lee Kuan Yew. /VCG Photo
He said the allegations "have already damaged Singapore's reputation."
"Unrebutted, they can affect Singaporeans' confidence in the government." He added that Singaporeans were "tired of the subject, and wish it would end. I too am upset that things have reached this state."
Lee said he would have sued in normal circumstances, before explaining that any such action would "further besmirch my parents' names" and drawn out legal proceedings would distract and cause distress to Singaporeans.
"Therefore, fighting this out in court cannot be my preferred choice," the prime minister said.
Lee Hsien Loong's brother Lee Hsien Yang says the Singaporean prime minister is neither a "filial son" nor a good PM. /Screenshot of Lee Hsien Yang's Facebook page
At the center of the dispute is the bungalow which Lee Kuan Yew wanted destroyed after he passed away to prevent the creation of a personality cult.
The siblings said the prime minister is attempting to block the house's demolition to exploit their father's legacy, including grooming his own son to be a third-generation leader – a charge Lee and his wife denied.
(Source: AFP, Reuters)
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