S’pore journalist Bertha Henson reflects on Lee Wei Ling’s passing & the unresolved Oxley Road debate
On Sunday (13 Oct), veteran Singaporean journalist Bertha Henson shared her reflections on the passing of Dr Lee Wei Ling, the only daughter of Singapore’s late founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew and sister to previous Prime Minister and current Senior Minister (SM) Lee Hsien Loong.
In a Facebook post titled “Sunday Sorrow”, Ms Henson touched on not just the personal loss of the prominent Hakka doctor, who passed away in the Lee family home at 38 Oxley Road on 9 Oct, but also the political and media dynamics that followed her death.
Source: Lee Hsien Yang on Facebook
‘Everybody is studiously ignoring the elephant in the room’
Henson observed that local media coverage of Lee Wei Ling’s funeral was notably minimal, attributing this to the family’s desire for privacy.
However, she expressed discomfort that despite Dr Lee’s significance in the public eye, no public discussion has been held about a major point of national interest: the fate of 38 Oxley Road, the Lee family home that has been at the centre of a longstanding and polarising debate.
“Perhaps the deafening silence can be described as a respectful one. It is deemed impolite to drag politics into a death,” Ms Henson wrote, adding:
I think it has also to do with fear — that any mention of it will somehow get us flamed for ‘stirring up trouble’ or accused of ‘politicising’ a grim and sombre occasion.
An outspokem figure regarding the Oxley Road house debate
Dr Lee had been an outspoken figure, particularly regarding her father’s wishes for the Oxley Road house to be demolished. With her passing, this issue, which ignited public debate years ago, resurfaces.
Ms Henson pointed out that, despite mainstream media’s silence on the matter, the “elephant in the room” remains visible: What will the Singapore Government do with the house now that Dr Lee is no longer living there?
“I agree that there is a time to mourn,” Ms Henson said. “But I would add that the elephant needs to be faced very soon because it is already coming out of the room.”
The journalist highlighted that Lee Hsien Yang, Dr Lee and SM Lee’s younger brother, twice reiterated his sister’s message about respecting their parents’ wishes to demolish the house.
Ms Henson noted that while this statement was shared on social media, it was largely ignored by the local press, likely due to concerns over politicising Dr Lee’s death.
Foreign media, in contrast, covered these developments more extensively.
Full preservation, partial preservation, or demolition
Ms Henson urged that, while the public should allow space for mourning, the government will need to confront the decision regarding the future of the house soon.
A ministerial committee had previously outlined three scenarios for the house’s future—full preservation, partial preservation, or demolition—but deferred the decision until after Dr Lee’s death.
“Well, the penny has dropped. Either preserve it fully, partially or demolish it,” Ms Henson said.
Reflecting on the contentious history of the Oxley Road house debate, the journalist acknowledged that opinions about the house remain divided, but emphasised that the government must justify its decision, taking into account both public sentiment and national interest.
‘The Lees continue to polarise Singapore’
The post also touched on the broader political rift within the Lee family, referring to the ongoing tensions between Lee Hsien Yang and his elder brother, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Ms Henson noted that Mr Lee had remotely organised his sister’s funeral from London, where he remains in self-imposed exile due to a pending case in Singapore. Reports surfaced that SM Lee only briefly attended the wake, and Ms Henson questioned the lingering animosities within the family.
Ultimately, Ms Henson called for the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, to decisively address the fate of 38 Oxley Road and close this chapter in Singapore’s political narrative.
“The PM will be under great scrutiny for whatever decision is made… It means he must put up a good persuasive case for any decision.”
She warned that delays could further polarise the nation, as the Lee family saga continues to dominate public discourse.
Also read: SM Lee & wife attend Lee Wei Ling’s wake at S’pore Casket, other political figures also seen
SM Lee & wife attend Lee Wei Ling’s wake at S’pore Casket, other political figures also seen
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Featured image adapted from Wiki.sg and Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Facebook.
