Lee Hsien Yang objects to plan to gazette 38 Oxley Rd as a national monument

Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the sole owner of 38 Oxley Road, has submitted written objections to the National Heritage Board (NHB) on the Government's plan to gazette the site as a national monument.

- Ng Keng Gene Correspondent

This comes after NHB and the Singapore Land Authority announced their intention to do so on Nov 3. The agencies said then that the site of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's family home is of historic significance and national importance as the venue for political conversations, activities and decisions of Singapore's founding leaders.

On Nov 17, Mr Lee Hsien Yang said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that as the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew's son and trustee, he objects to the proposed gazetting of the property as a national monument. He had posted the letter on Facebook at 7.47am.

An NHB spokesperson confirmed that night that the agency had received the same objections Mr Lee had published on his Facebook page.

"In line with due process, NHB will consider the objections received before making its recommendations to Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo on whether to proceed with the preservation of 38 Oxley Road," said the spokesperson.

Nov 17 was the deadline for objections to be made against the proposed gazetting of 38 Oxley Road as a national monument. If gazetted and later acquired by the Government, the site will be converted into a public space such as a her-

itage park, the authorities had said.

The law obliges Mr Neo to consider Mr Lee Hsien Yang's objection, but a preservation order to gazette the site can still be made thereafter.