Some Singaporeans are still urging Lee Hsien Yang to contest the next election as an opposition candidate, nearly three years after cracks in his relationship with his elder brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, publicly surfaced.
The Lee brothers, who are the sons of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, have been entangled in a bitter feud with one another since 2017. Despite the offer of a ceasefire, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has since initiated action against Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s wife Lee Suet Fern and son Li Shengwu.
In the months following their public dispute, which centered on their late father’s will, Mr Lee Hsien Yang was spotted mingling with opposition politicians. This, coupled with public remarks he has made on how the ruling party is no longer what it once was, have given rise to speculation that Mr Lee could be considering an entry into politics as an opposition candidate.
On Tuesday (2 June), Mr Lee shared an article on social media that called on the Government to give opposition parties enough notice on how campaigning rules will be modified in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some netizens responding to his post urged him to join opposition politicians as a candidate in the upcoming election:
Calls for Mr Lee to contest the upcoming election were even louder whenever Mr Lee made direct comments critical of his elder brother and his party. Hundreds of netizens in the past labelled Mr Lee a “new hope” and urged him to join opposition politics to set things right.
While Mr Lee has remained mum on any potential political prospects, his son Li Shengwu has publicly said that Singapore no longer needs a leader from the Lee fold. Mr Li said in late 2017: “Singapore no longer needs someone from the Lee family as a leader, no matter which side.”
Hundreds of Singaporeans urge Lee Hsien Yang to join the opposition and defeat the PAP
“A whole nation is counting on you” – Netizens wish to see Lee Hsien Yang as PM
Hundreds of Singaporeans urge Lee Hsien Yang to join the opposition and defeat the PAP
Li Shengwu and Li Hongyi are no longer on speaking terms but remain Facebook friends