The National Heritage Board (NHB) has announced that it will conduct a study of the site of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s house at 38 Oxley Road to assess if it is worthy of preservation as a national monument.
In a statement on Oct 24, NHB said the study will determine if the site “has national historical, heritage, and architectural significance as to be worthy of preservation.”
The board noted that a 2018 ministerial committee report had already assessed the building as having architectural, heritage, and historical significance.
The report also concluded that while Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s preference was for the building to be demolished, he was prepared to accept options other than demolition, provided that suitable arrangements were made to ensure the building’s refurbishment, its habitable state, and the family’s privacy.
Potential Options for the Site
NHB highlighted that the ministerial report had set out various options for the building and the site, including:
- Retaining the entire building
- Retaining only the basement dining room
- Demolishing the building fully but designating the site for alternative use (e.g., as a park or a heritage centre)
The board emphasized that these options are not exhaustive and that the intention is for a future government to consider these and other potential options before making an informed decision, taking into account Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes.
The study will be conducted by NHB’s Preservation of Sites and Monuments advisory board, which comprises experts from various sectors. The board’s recommendation will be submitted to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, who will decide whether to issue a preservation order for the 38 Oxley Road site under the Preservation of Monuments Act.
If the decision is to preserve the site, NHB will issue a notice of intention to the owner, who may submit any objections to the board within a reasonable period before the minister makes a final decision.
In a Facebook post, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Mr Edwin Tong acknowledged that there is a range of different views among Singaporeans on the matter and emphasized the importance of approaching the issue with an open mind and keeping options open. He added that the passage of time would help in better appreciating the matter in its proper context.
NHB clarified that if the site is preserved as a national monument, all options for 38 Oxley Road will remain open to current and future governments, as the preservation order can be amended or revoked as deemed appropriate. However, no rezoning or alternative use of the site would be allowed until a decision is made in the future.
The debate over the fate of the house resurfaced following the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling, on 9 Oct.
On 15 October, Mr Lee Hsien Yang claimed that he is “applying to demolish the house at 38 Oxley Road and thereafter to build a small private dwelling, to be held within the family in perpetuity.”
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