Workers’ Party to ask about abuse of power allegations arising from Lee family feud
The Workers’ Party (WP) has filed parliamentary questions concerning the allegations of abuse of power arising from the Lee family feud.
In a statement on Tuesday (20 June 2017), the WP said its Members of Parliament will be asking questions ranging from the creation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament to look into the allegations, to mechanisms in place to prevent public servants from using their positions to advance personal interests.
“The Workers’ Party believes the crux of the family issues surrounding 38 Oxley Road is for the family to resolve privately or in Court. We are only concerned with the allegations of abuse of power and the harm these have caused to confidence in Singapore and our political institutions.”
Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh will be asking Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong whether the government would agree to “a resolution to convene a Special Select Committee of Parliament, comprising Members from all parties, with public hearings that are broadcast live to look into allegations of abuse of power by the Prime Minister made by members of his family so as to allow his accusers to present all the relevant evidence to Parliament.”
WP Chairman Sylvia Lim will ask about “what conflicts or potential conflicts of interest did the government identify to exist from among the members of the Cabinet” from matters related to the estate of the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
Hougang SMC MP Png Eng Huat will ask “what clear rules and directives are in place to prevent Ministers and other political appointees from abusing their positions to access, influence and direct senior civil servants on matters beyond their professional course of work.”
The WP statement comes almost a week after PM Lee’s siblings Wei Ling and Hsien Yang issued a joint statement to say that they have no confidence in their older brother and that they felt threatened by his pursuit of a personal agenda over their father’s house at Oxley Road.
PM Lee issued a statement on Monday to apologise to Singaporeans over the feud, saying that it had affected their confidence in the government and the country’s reputation.
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