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Tag: Lee Hsien Yang

  • Low Thia Khiang: Settle Family Dispute In Court

    Low Thia Khiang: Settle Family Dispute In Court

    Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to settle the “private, family dispute” between him and his younger siblings in court, noting that less serious allegations had been dealt with under libel.

    “Individuals who made less serious allegations that undermined the reputation and authority of the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers have been brought to task for libel. There is no reason why this time it should be different because it comes from the Lee family. In fact, the allegations are much more serious,” said Mr Low, who is Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, in Parliament on Monday (July 3).

    Slamming how the family saga playing out on Facebook has created an “ugly media circus”, Mr Low added: “Settling this in court will enable everyone to put forward their sides of the story with evidence.”

    Amid this dispute, the line between the private and the public domains have been “blurred (and) crossed too many times” by PM Lee, siblings, as well as other members of the Government, he said.

    This has distracted the Government and Singaporeans from “far more important issues”, and also damaged the Republic’s reputation on the international stage, he said.

    The dispute created a public ruckus at an “unfortunate” time, when the Republic is confronted by wide-ranging challenges in the economic, geo-political and security areas, among others.

    “We need to restore the line, make it a bright, red line, and restore the dispute that has crossed into the public domain and push (it) back into the private domain. We need to do this so as to move on to far more important issues that are truly national issues,” said Mr Low, citing as examples the heightening security situation in the region and Singapore’s perennial challenges with infrastructure like public transportation.

    He added: “This saga is distracting the Government, distracting Singaporeans, and distracting the international audience (by) damaging the Singapore brand.”

    Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s allegations against PM Lee via a “continuous media campaign”—made on scattered evidence centered on family displeasure—undermine the Prime Minister’s authority and “does not make for constructive politics in Singapore”, he said.

    But PM Lee and the Government also should not have contributed to the squabble, said Mr Low.

    “The Government should set an example… It should not be involved in (the) Facebook brawl for the whole world to see… (It) should not continue with this dispute in the public domain,” he said, urging PM Lee to “take action to put (the public spat) to a stop”.

     

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Lee Hsien Loong – Suing My Siblings In Court Will Tarnish Family Name

    Lee Hsien Loong – Suing My Siblings In Court Will Tarnish Family Name

    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Jul 3) explained why he chose to raise in Parliament a family dispute instead of suing his siblings in response to a public spat which started in mid-June.

    “Many people have asked me why I’m not taking legal action, to challenge the will, or sue for defamation, or take some other legal action to put a stop to this and clear my name,” said PM Lee. “I took advice and considered my options very carefully. I believe I have a strong case.

    “In normal circumstances, in fact, in any other imaginable circumstance but this, I would have sued immediately.”

    “Because the accusation of the abuse of power is a very grave one, however baseless it may be. And it is in fact an attack not just on me, but on the integrity of the whole Government.”

    “But suing my own brother and sister in court would further besmirch our parents’ names,” he explained. “At the end of the day, we are brother and sister, and we are all our parents’ children.”

    “It would also drag out the process for years, and cause more distraction and distress to Singaporeans. Therefore, fighting this out in court cannot be my preferred choice.”

    “Every family will understand that family disputes do happen, but they are not something to flaunt in public. That is why I have done my best to deal with this out of the public eye.”

    PM Lee said his purpose in keeping his submissions to the Ministerial Committee private was “not to pursue a fight with my siblings, but to assist the Committee in its work”.

    “Unfortunately, my siblings made public allegations against me. I then had no choice but to defend myself, and release the statements and facts about the matter.”

    “I stand by the statements I have published but I really don’t want to go further if I can help it.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

     

  • Gilbert Goh: Parliamentary Debate On Oxley Road House Is A Circus

    Gilbert Goh: Parliamentary Debate On Oxley Road House Is A Circus

    We probably will hear a one-sided account tomorrow in Parliament by the Prime Minister as LYH and LWL alluded.

    94% of Singaporeans polled also suggested that Parliament is not the right place to discuss a domestic spat that involves three siblings.

    Its a international disgrace and truly we have more urgent things to talk about nationally than the familee home.

    #ownselfcheckownself

     

    Source: Gilbert Goh

  • Halimah Yacob Calls For Proper Parliamentary Debate On OxLee Drama

    Halimah Yacob Calls For Proper Parliamentary Debate On OxLee Drama

    Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob on Saturday (Jul 1) said that she hoped issues would be “properly debated” in Parliament on Monday, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to address allegations by his siblings against him.

    “There will be of course a lot of speeches, but I do hope that we can see that the issues are properly debated and hopefully, if we can have some finality, that would be ideal. But I really leave it to the debate,” she said when asked on the sidelines of a People’s Action Party (PAP) event what she hopes to see during the debate.

    “As the speaker, my task is to ensure that it’s a fair, open, transparent debate that goes on on Monday.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

     

  • SDP: 21 Reasons Why Tharman’s Call For Confidence In Lee Hsien Loong’s Team Is Misplaced

    SDP: 21 Reasons Why Tharman’s Call For Confidence In Lee Hsien Loong’s Team Is Misplaced

    In his Facebook post, DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam called on Singaporeans to “have confidence” in the present system of governance, adding, “You can count on PM Lee Hsien Loong and all of us in his team for that.”

    To have confidence in the government, Singaporeans need transparency. So before the DPM asks for trust in Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s team, the PAP must first account for and explain:

    1. Price hikes
    Why the Government announced a slew of price hikes, including a drastic 30% increase in water fees, only after the 2015 general elections and at a time of economic uncertainty for the people.

    2. Asset enhancement
    Then PM Goh Chok Tong’s assurance in 1992 that HDB prices will “continue to rise” only to be told in 2017 by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong that prices will “come down” until the flats are eventually returned to HDB.

    3. AGO report
    The Auditor-General’s 2016 report that PAP Government lacked “principles of good governance and financial controls” which resulted in a large number of instances where there was a “breakdown in the controls.” This included the construction of a rubbish centre for $880,000.

    4. GIC losses in UBS
    The GIC’s loss of nearly $6 billion this year in its investment in UBS despite the SDP’s repeated warnings about the problems with the Swiss bank, and the subsequent refusal of the Government to account for the loss.

    5. Elected Presidency
    The sudden decision to change the rules – and the contorted reasoning for the change – to restrict candidacy for the EP after Dr Tony Tan nearly lost the election in 2015.

    6. Hep-C outbreak
    Health Minister Gan Kim Yong’s refusal to release correspondence such as emails, memos, minutes of meetings between officials at MOH and SGH over the Hepatitis C outbreak in 2015 as well as the refusal to openly identify the officers who were at fault and the penalties meted out to them.

    7. Cracks in new MRT trains
    The failure to inform the public of cracks in brand new MRT trains and the secretive nature of the way the trains were shipped back to China for repairs.

    8. Deteriorating infrastructure
    The Government’s inability to deal with constant breakdown of MRT services, HDB lift mishaps (which have caused death and injury), falling slabs of HDB blocks, and flooding of our roads whenever it rains heavily.

    9. Productivity decline
    The stagnant productivity levels despite the more than $20 billion the PAP Government has thrown at the problem. The situation has deteriorated to the point where PM Lee now admits that our economy has “maxed out” after easy gains in recent years.

    10. Future economy
    The lack of direction and rehash of old ideas from the Committee on the Future Economy despite the involvement of five ministers and one full year of work.

    11. Online gambling
    The introduction of online gambling despite widespread public objection.

    12. Foreign labour
    The continued influx of foreign workers despite falling job vacancies and increasing unemployment among Singaporeans.

    13. China relations
    The mishandling of relations with China leading to Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s exclusion from the OBOR summit in Beijing.

    14. Zika and TB
    The explosion of Zika infections and the increase in new cases of active TB in Singapore in 2016.

    15. Money laundering
    The discovery of money laundering in our financial system last year despite SDP’s warning since 2008 that Singapore was becoming a haven for tax evaders and money launderers.

    16. Neptune Orient Lines
    Mr Ng Yat Chung’s appointment as CEO of SPH despite his running aground the NOL (losing $1.5 billion in the process) and which resulted in the company being sold to the French CMA CGM in 2016. The new owners turned NOL’s fortunes around registering a US$26m-profit in less than one year.

    17. Keppel and SembMarine
    The deep financial troubles of Temasek-owned Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Marine amidst charges of corruption against the companies in Brazil following the bust in the oil-rig industry.

    18. Shortage of engineers
    How, after more than 50 years of uninterrupted PAP rule, Singapore now finds itself short of engineers, a situation which “poses a national risk”.

    19. Ailing retail
    The shuttering of retail shops and empty shopping centres. This is epitomised by a dying Orchard Road.

    20. Closing of JCs
    The controversial closing down of neighbourhood Junior Colleges in which MOE provided dubious reasons.

    21. GIC/Temasek non-transparency
    The non-transparent manner in which the GIC and Temasek Holdings are managed and the related issue of the retention of CPF funds through the Minimum Sum Scheme.

    This list does not, of course, include the allegations of impropriety by Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang against PM Lee and his team which necessitates even more accountability. Mr Tharman’s call for confidence in the current administration is desperately  misplaced.

     

    Source: http://yoursdp.org