Singapore — Opposition figure turned restauranteur Chee Soon Juan said in a Facebook post on Friday (Dec 10) that Ms Lee Suet Fern had recently come to Orange & Teal, his eatery, for lunch.
Mrs Lee, a noted international lawyer, is the wife of Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew, and the sister-in-law of current PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Dr Chee also posted a photo of a gift Mrs Lee had given—a set of orange and teal-coloured napkins, along with a handwritten note.
“These napkins were inspired by your lovely new restaurant. I hope you and your family enjoy them,” she wrote.
“These napkins were inspired by your lovely new restaurant. I hope you and your family enjoy them,” she wrote.“Thank you, Mrs Lee, for your very thoughtful gesture, we love it. It was a pleasure hosting you at Orange & Teal and we look forward to seeing you again,” wrote Dr Chee.
The secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party fulfilled a lifelong dream in June when he opened Orange and Teal, added, “In the meantime, for those of you looking to spend an enchanting evening at O&T, you may want to check out our X’mas dinner specials of Prime Rib Roast or Traditional Turkey. For more info and to make reservations, go here: https://orangeandteal.sg/menu/“
In November of last year, the Court of Three Judges suspended Ms Lee from practising law for 15 months over her handling of the last will of her late father-in-law.
In reaction to the suspension, she wrote, “I disagree with this decision. There was no basis for this case to have even been initiated,” she said in a media statement, which her husband made public on his Facebook page..
The written judgment from the Court of Three Judges, which is the highest disciplinary body for lawyers, said that Mrs Lee had been found guilty of misconduct, as she had “blindly followed the directions of her husband, a significant beneficiary under the very will whose execution she helped to rush through”.
Mrs Lee’s suspension attracted international attention, with Sir David Lewis, a former Lord Mayor of London and a former president of City of London Law Society, calling it ”a stain on the international reputation of Singapore” in a letter to the South China Morning post entitled “What I know about Singapore’s Lee Suet Fern” on Nov 30, 2020.
Sir David attested to Mrs Lee’s character, saying that he has known her for four decades. “She is a senior lawyer of undisputed ability, ethics, and experience, and a partner in a major US global law firm.”
During her suspension, Mrs Lee has turned to other pursuits. In a Facebook post on Mar 30, Mr Lee Hsien Yang shared photos of dresses that his wife had made.
He wrote: “My wife has made use of her enforced suspension from legal practice to learn dressmaking. She has since applied some of her newly learnt skills, and these pictures show the fruits of her labour.”
Mrs Lee is well known for her handmade quilts and masks.
Participating in a charity auction for Project Dignity last year, Mrs Lee donated one of her intricate quits – “Dignity Blooms”. A Mrs Geraldine Lim bought Mrs Lee’s quilt for S$33,000. /TISG
Read also: LKY’s last will: Lee Suet Fern disagrees with 15-month suspension
Law Society seeks to disbar Lee Suet Fern over conflict of interest arising from Lee Kuan Yew’s will