In a statement on Sunday (17 Mar), the police confirmed that they are investigating a 31-year-old private car driver who offered a ride to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s son, Li Yipeng, before proceeding to take videos of Yipeng without consent.
36-year-old Li Yipeng, who is an albino, is PM Lee’s second child and eldest son. PM Lee has a daughter and another two sons.
The driver is presently assisting the police in their investigation. The police said that they are “looking into the matter with the assistance of the driver because the nature of the questions raises serious security concerns, given Mr Li’s background.”
The driver has had previous run-ins with the law and has been involved in a theft-in-dwelling case and a criminal intimidation case. He was also previously convicted of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and sentenced in 2014.
Separately, the police are also investigation a photo that circulated on Facebook and Telegram showing a social media post purportedly made by PM Lee, asking the driver who drove his son to go to the nearest police station.
The police have confirmed that the post is fake and that a 39-year-old man is assisting them as they investigate this case.
PM Lee’s press secretary, Ms Chang Li Lin, has since said that PM Lee is aware of the videos and fake Facebook post. She said:
“It is of concern that a vulnerable person can be taken advantage of like this. Yipeng happens to be PM’s son, but many other vulnerable persons go about Singapore on their own, and they must be able to do so safely, without being taken advantage of or harassed and without their privacy being breached.”
PM Lee declined to comment further, since the police investigations are ongoing, but thanked the public who expressed concern over the matter.