Lee Family Feud Ends: Singapore Declares Founding Leader's Home a Monument

Singapore has declared the former home of its founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, a national monument. The government's official order on Friday ends a years-long public dispute within the Lee family about the property's fate. The colonial-era bungalow at 38 Oxley Road was the centre of a bitter disagreement among Lee's children after his death in 2015. They clashed over whether to preserve the house or follow their father's stated wish to have it demolished. Lee's eldest son, current Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, supported preserving the historically significant site. His siblings, Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang, publicly opposed this. The conflict exposed a rare division within the country's most prominent political family. The monument designation legally protects the building. It means the house cannot be altered or torn down without official permission. The government stated the decision was based on the building's historical and social significance to Singapore's national identity. The status of "national monument" is Singapore's highest form of recognition for heritage sites.