SINGAPORE — Breaking its silence on the Oxley Road dispute on Tuesday (June 20), the Workers’ Party (WP) expressed concerns over the allegations of abuse of power by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the harm caused to the confidence in Singapore and its political institutions. 

To “help clear the air” on the accusations made by Mr Lee’s siblings,  the WP said in a Facebook post that its Members of Parliament (MPs) have filed a series of questions on a range of issues for the July 3 sitting, when the Prime Minister will be making a Ministerial Statement to refute the allegations. 

For example, WP chairman Sylvia Lim has asked about rules to ensure ministers and senior public office-holders with “personal or pecuniary interests in the subject-matter of government decisions” do not influence or participate in related deliberations and decision-making. 

She also questioned how conflicts or potential conflicts of interest were, or are being managed. 

Mr Pritam Singh, the WP’s assistant secretary-general, asked if the Government would convene a Special Select Committee — made up of MPs from the WP and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) — to look into the allegations. 

On Monday, PM Lee apologised for the harm caused to the country’s reputation and Singaporeans’ confidence in the Government by the private dispute between him and his siblings.

He also said there will be a “full, public airing” of the matter when Parliament convenes in two weeks, when he will refute the allegations against him and the Government. He has instructed that the PAP’s party whip be lifted, allowing the ruling party’s MPs to vote according to their conscience, instead of toeing the party line. 

In its Facebook post, the WP said that it believes that the Lee family should resolve “the crux of the family issues” surrounding 38 Oxley Road 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,” it added.  

Some critics said Parliament is the wrong platform to settle family disputes, with opposition member Tan Jee Say from Singaporeans First, as well as the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), calling instead for a public inquiry into the allegations of abuse of power by PM Lee. A commission of inquiry, similar to the one convened for the Little India riot, would lead to “a genuinely impartial hearing to get to the bottom of the incident and, in so doing, reform our nation’s governing process”, the SDP said. 

However, MPs and political observers who spoke to TODAY felt that Parliament is the right platform, since the issue has raised questions about the Government’s integrity. 

MP Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC) said “very serious” but “broad-brush” allegations have been levelled against the Government. The fact that PM Lee was raising it in Parliament meant that he was “prepared to have any questions and issues of public importance discussed openly”.

Mr Yee Chia Hsing (Chua Chu Kang GRC) said Parliament is a “reasonable” platform, since the allegations concerned the abuse of power and affects the Government’s credibility. 

National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser said the Ministerial Statement and subsequent debate in Parliament could be seen as restoring confidence and exercising damage control of the situation.

“It (would) allow citizens, indirectly through their MPs, the opportunity to air their concerns and any doubts they may have about the dispute, and for the PM to provide them robust, convincing responses,” he said.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said: “Ultimately, there’s also the court of public opinion — if Parliament does not deal with the matter adequately, then the political consequences will be severe for the ruling party and the Government.”

SIM Global Education political commentator Felix Tan, however, found it “quite surprising” that a private matter would be raised there, since Parliament is typically reserved for matters concerning the state at large.

Still, he said that because the matter concerns PM Lee, the country’s leader, he would want to be answerable to Parliament and Singapore, and “clear his name within the confines of the democratic institutions that the country embodies”.