Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang said in parliament today that investigations must be conducted into the allegations by the Lee siblings that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong abused his powers and practised nepotism.
He said that such an investigation is necessary to clear PM Lee’s name.
“This episode – there’s no investigation done. It’s ownself defend ownself in parliament, with the PAP MPs. I wonder how would you want to convince me, my party, and Singaporeans that it is conclusive and that it is something we can all be convinced entirely, though I am prepared to give the benefit of the doubt to the Prime Minister.”
Mr Low also said he can understand the “difficulty” PM Lee has when it comes to suing his own siblings.
PM Lee had said yesterday in parliament that he would not take them to court as such a move would tarnish the Lee family reputation.
However, Mr Low said not taking the legal route would reek of double standards, especially since the prime minister’s predecessors have said pursued such a route against persons perceived to have defamed them.
“(1) Does he not agree that his family is not any Singapore family, and the person central of the issue is the prime minister of Singapore
(2) I wonder whether the prime minister is not worrying, whether the PAP as the ruling party will be seen as having double standards? Has it forgotten that the former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, sued the former Workers’ Party candidate Tang Liang Hong during General Election 1997 for just making a police report, but now these are allegations much more serious than that. And more importantly, we are talking about upholding the legacy of Mr Lee Kuan Yew – that the nation, the laws, the family above individual. By using “family”, does not this also show that blood is thicker than water? Own siblings cannot sue, after all we all brothers and sisters, but political critics, sue until your pants drop!”
