Govt announces intention to gazette 38 Oxley Road as national monument

The Singapore Government has announced its intention to gazette the site at 38 Oxley Road — home of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew — to preserve it as a national monument. 

If a preservation order is made, the Government intends to acquire the site to "safeguard it and preserve it in keeping with its historical significance and national importance", said the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board (PSM AB).

The preservation of buildings, monuments and sites in Singapore is guided by the PSM division under NHB, with advice from the PSM AB.

The bungalow on that site was Lee Kuan Yew's home from the mid-1940s until his death in 2015, and one of his sons, Lee Hsien Yang had claimed to be the sole legal owner of the site.

The owner of the property is 38 Oxley Road Pte Ltd, which according to AsiaOne's checks is controlled by Lee Hsien Yang. His son Li Huanwu is listed as a director in that company.

'Great historic merit'

The PSM AB stated that it found the site to be "of national significance with great historic merit" and "worthy of preservation" in a statement by NHB and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) issued on Monday (Nov 3).

If the site is preserved and acquired, the Government will convert it into a public space — with one possible outcome being a heritage park, said the statement.

This means that the site cannot be redeveloped for residential, commercial or other private uses.

According to the joint statement, relevant authorities have not had the chance to assess the state of the buildings and structures within the site. If access is obtained, they will undertake a detailed study to consider how to proceed.

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo has accepted NHB's recommendation and intends to gazette 38 Oxley Road as a national monument.

"The site bore witness to discussions and pivotal decisions that shaped the course of Singapore's history to become an independent nation," said Neo.

"The intention to gazette the site as a national monument recognises its historical significance and national importance. This will preserve a key part of our journey for future generations."

According to the statement, the Government will respect Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes and remove all traces of him and his family’s private living spaces from the buildings on the property, regardless of the option taken.

Notice issued to occupier

The board will also be giving the owner and occupier of the property written notice of Neo’s intention to make a Preservation Order by Monday (Nov 3). 

The owner and occupier will be "given a reasonable period to submit any objections" said the statement, adding that Neo will "consider every objection before making a final decision".

This "reasonable period" is a span of two weeks, which means any objections must be submitted by Nov 17.

Some NHB officers were later seen at the site at around 5.30pm, presumably serving the notice. 

If a Preservation Order is issued, the Government intends to acquire the site to safeguard and preserve it.

With regards to the buildings and structures on the site, the Government will "consider all options" — including those considered by the 2018 Ministerial Committee — and will make a decision well within this term of Government.

Study on 38 Oxley Road in 2024

The family home has been the subject of a long-running feud Dr Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang had with their elder brother, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Lee Hsien Yang had stated in a Facebook post on Oct 10, 2024 that his late parents — Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo — wished for the house to be demolished after their deaths.

He then stated in another post on Oct 15, 2024 that he had applied to demolish the property and build a small private dwelling in its place. The Ministry of National Development separately stated that it had taken note of the post.

The NHB then announced on Oct 24, 2024 that they will commence a study on 38 Oxley Road to assess if it has national historical, heritage and architectural significance to be worthy of preservation.

The study found that while Lee Kuan Yew's preference was for the building to be demolished, he was prepared to accept options other than demolition given suitable arrangements were made.

These included ensuring that the building was refurbished and kept in a habitable state, and protecting the family's privacy.

A dispute between the siblings over the house was made public in 2017 by Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee, who were the joint administrators and executors of the late Lee Kuan Yew's will — a section of which dealt with the fate of 38 Oxley Road.

The two younger siblings alleged that SM Lee, who was prime minister at the time, wanted the pre-war one-storey bungalow preserved for his political gain, against their father's wishes.

Ministerial committee report

After Lee Hsien Loong denied those allegations in Parliament, a ministerial committee released a report in 2018, laying out three options for the house — it can either be preserved, or partially retained, or demolished.

No decision was needed at that time, the committee said, adding that "Dr Lee is likely to continue residing there for the foreseeable future".

After the report was issued, Lee Hsien Loong said: "I hope that when the time comes to decide on what to do with the house, this report will help the Government of the day to make an informed decision that both respects my father's wishes and is in the public interest".

In response to AsiaOne's queries regarding the latest development, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's press secretary said that "SM Lee has recused himself from the matter since 2017. He has no comment to add".

AsiaOne has also reached out to Lee Hsien Yang for comments.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com