A complaint sent by the Attorney-General’s Chambers to the Law Society over Lee Suet Fern’s handling of the late Lee Kuan Yew’s will could see the former being punished.
Taking to Facebook, Dr Lee Wei Ling said that the AGC’s complaint was “over 500 pages” long.
The complaint could see Ms Lee, the lawyer wife of Lee Hsien Yang, being censured or disbarred for malpractice – actions which the Law Society has the power to act on.
With her husband, Lee Hsien Yang, as one of the beneficiaries, Lee Suet Fern’s role in the drafting of the will raised issues regarding possible conflict of interest.
Said the AGC:
“In this case, AGC became aware of a possible case of professional misconduct by Ms Lee. Ms Lee appears to have prepared the Last Will of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and arranged for Mr Lee Kuan Yew to execute it, despite the fact that her husband, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, is one of the beneficiaries under the Last Will.”
The AGC added that:
“Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s share increased under the Last Will. AGC also noted that Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said publicly that the Last Will was drafted by Ms Kwa Kim Lee of M/s Lee & Lee. However Ms Kwa Kim Lee has denied that she drafted it.”
Attorney-General Lucien Wong, who was once Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s personal lawyer, has recused himself from the case.
Deputy Attorney-General Lionel Yee who is overseeing the case, said he has written to Ms Lee “several times” since October 2018 asking her to explain her position and role in the preparation of LKY’s last will.
He said that despite asking for extensions of time to respond, Ms Lee did not answer the questions that the AGC asked, and the matter was then referred to the Law Society as the AGC has a “statutory duty to deal with misconduct by lawyers”.
Dr Lee, however, has questioned the AGC’s move, saying that that have been no complaints about the will from any beneficiaries, including PM Lee.
She added that probate the court had granted probate for the will – meaning it had been proven as a final testament of LKY.
Calling the complaint an “unprecedented use of such legal process involving a private will,” Dr Lee said:
“In 2015, on Hsien Loong’s urging, the estate secured probate for the will. At the time, all parties including Hsien Loong accepted the will as representing Lee Kuan Yew’s true wishes. After probate, in 2016 and 2017, Hsien Loong sought to attack the will through a committee of his ministers. Lee Kuan Yew, a highly regarded lawyer, never complained about his will. No beneficiary has complained to the Law Society, not even Hsien Loong who was advised by Lucien Wong (previously his personal lawyer, now AG). Why therefore this new attack on our father’s will?”
Aside from his wife, Lee Hsien Yang’s son, Li Shengwu, is also feeling the heat from the AGC.
Li, an internationally-acclaimed Economics professor at Harvard University, is being prosecuted for a private Facebook post which he published on his personal Facebook page.
The latest move by the AGC has reopened the Lee Family Feud – an embarrassing public spat between siblings Dr Lee and Lee Hsien Yang, and their brother PM Lee over their father’s 38 Oxley Road home.
Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee first triggered the Lee Family Feud back in 2016, when they publicly accused PM Lee of abusing his power and mobilising the “organs of the state” to block the demolition of the bungalow.
PM Lee went to parliament and rubbished the allegations, saying that he had recused himself from the government’s decision-making process on the issue.
