Lee family feud: Best quotes in Parliament from ‘Korean drama’ to ‘magic’ house

Two days of Parliamentary debate have just concluded, following allegations of abuse of power against Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong by his younger siblings Wei Ling and Hsien Yang.

A total of 35 Members of Parliament spoke on Monday (3 July) and Tuesday, weighing in on the Lee family feud that has transfixed Singapore since 14 June. Yahoo Singapore picks out some of the best quotes from the Parliamentary sessions.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

• “Regarding the house, and how its continued existence enhances my aura as PM, if I needed such magic properties to bolster my standing, even after being your PM for 13 years, I must be in a pretty sad state. And if such magic can work, Singapore must be in an even sadder state.”

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

• “When I was about 13, my father had told me, ‘If anything happens to me, please take care of your mother, and your younger sister and brother.'”

• Why do we need in these circumstances a select committee or COI, and drag this out for months? It would be another Korean drama full-scale serial.”

Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang

• “I am personally perplexed and lost, as are many Singaporeans, on the Lee family saga. However, this is not (a) Korean drama show. It is a serious matter because it affects the credibility of our entire country.”
  

• “Does not this also show that blood is thicker than water? Own sibling cannot sue…but political opponents and critics, sue until your pants drop.”

• “This episode, there’s no investigation done. It’s ownself defend ownself in Parliament with the PAP MPs.”

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong

• “From what Lee Hsien Yang and his wife (Lee Suet Fern) are freely telling many others, it is clear that their goal is to bring Lee Hsien Loong down as PM, regardless of the huge collateral damage suffered by the Government and Singaporeans.”

• “The dispute over 38 Oxley Road is only a fig leaf for the deep cracks within the family, cracks which perhaps started decades ago.”

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean

• “It is with deep sadness that the Hsien Yang I see now is not the Hsien Yang I knew. I see hurt and his strong emotions consuming him. I do not understand what underlying deep-rooted reasons there may be for this.”

• “Madam Speaker, we, all of us, are also the sons and daughters brought up by Mr Lee. We have not been written into Mr Lee’s will. But what he has left to all of us is more precious, more valuable. He left us our Singapore, our big house, which he worked together with us to build.”

Holland-Bukit Timah MP Christopher de Souza:

“I have never had cause to doubt [the Prime Minister’s] integrity and loyalty to the country. It has been – and I trust, will always be – Singapore first, for him. It is Majulah Singapura for him.”

Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Sun Xueling

(in Mandarin): “Ever since I read Lee Hsien Yang’s Facebook statement on 14 June, my heart has been very heavy. On the day of the incident, when I woke up in the morning, the first thing I thought of was Minister Mentor Lee’s face.”

Aljunied MP Pritam Singh:

“The anomaly in this matter before the House surrounds the decision taken by the PM, ironically it must be said, not to sue in spite of the many allegations of abuse of power, much to the surprise of many Singaporeans. Singaporeans have been sued for defamation for much less.”

Related stories:

• PAP sues opponents ‘until your pants drop’: Low Thia Khiang

• I did not deceive Lee Kuan Yew over 38 Oxley Road: Lee Hsien Loong

• No conflict in appointments of Lucien Wong, Hri Kumar as AG and DAG: PM Lee

• Tearful PM Lee recounts father’s request for him to take care of siblings

• Curious Singaporeans visit 38 Oxley Road amid Lee family feud

• Lee Hsien Loong made ‘false’ claims about father’s wishes on Oxley house: Wei Ling and Hsien Yang

• Lee family feud: MPs call for independent inquiry on abuse of power allegations

• Deed of Gift for Lee Kuan Yew’s items handled ‘correctly and above board’: Lawrence Wong

• Lee family feud is a serious matter, not a ‘Korean drama show’: Low Thia Khiang

• Teo Chee Hean: Rarely need to reveal formation of Committees like one on 38 Oxley Road

• Suing my siblings would ‘further besmirch my parents’ names’: PM Lee

• PM Lee recounts father’s changing views on 38 Oxley Road

• PM Lee in Parliament: Allegations of abuse of power by my siblings are ‘entirely baseless’