Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has denied accusations leveled against him by his sister of using his power to establish a "political dynasty". Calling the accusation as completely untrue, Hsein Loong said on Facebook that his sister's comments had saddened him.
The People's Action Party (PAP) was founded by authoritarian Lee Kuan Yew who has ruled the city-state since its independence in 1965 and is credited with its transformation into a wealthy state. His son Lee Hsien Loong won a convincing general election victory last year, after Lee Kuan Yew, died in March 2015.
"The idea that I should wish to establish a dynasty makes even less sense. Meritocracy is a fundamental value of our society, and neither I, the PAP, nor the Singapore public would tolerate any such attempt," Hsien Loong said on FB.
The prime minister's sister Dr Lee Wei Ling has disapproved the public activities, over a 100, held by the government in March to mark the first death anniversary of their father, Singapore's founding prime minister.
In a Facebook post since removed, she said, "HL has no qualms about abusing his power to hv (sic) a commemoration just one year after LKY died" and that "if the power that be wants to establish a dynasty, LKY's daughter will not allow LKY's name to be sullied by a dishonourable son."
The prime minister's office declined further comment on Monday.
Lee Wei Ling, a doctor, has been writing columns regularly in the Straits Times on her views about the country as well as its founding prime minister. Her last column was rejected for its strong criticism of the ruling party, reports the SCMP, leading her to accuse the group for denying freedom of speech.
