In an unexpected turn of events, Singapore’s government exercised its right to censor ‘fake news’, requesting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s alienated brother, Lee Hsien Yang, to rectify an inaccurate Facebook post. The post encompassed a heated dispute over the leasing of two opulent colonial residences by the foreign affairs and law ministers, a subject that had ignited indignation among Singaporeans, accustomed to living in government-constructed high-rise buildings.
The controversial post from the 65-year-old Lee Hsien Yang prompted the government to demand the addition of a rectification notice that contradicted his initial claims. This notice was to include a hyperlink leading readers to what the government affirmed as the actual facts.
Also read: HSBC Unveils First Teen-focused Campaign, Promoting Financial Independence
The intriguing episode reinvigorated the lingering familial tensions among the Lee siblings, which erupted post the 2015 demise of their father, Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. The controversy centred on the fate of a historical family house, with Lee Hsien Yang and his sister, Lee Wei Ling, alleging their premier brother of disregarding their father’s wishes of demolishing the house, thereby seeking to exploit their father’s legacy to establish a dynasty. These allegations were vehemently repudiated by 71-year-old Lee Hsien Loong.
Owing to the legislation against online falsehoods established in 2019, the Singaporean government possesses the authority to demand correction notices for supposed false statements shared on social media. In compliance with the directive, Lee Hsien Yang uploaded the correction notice along with the link on his Facebook page.
However, in a defiant move, he asserted his stand with a fresh post, describing the government’s correction order as ‘deceptive’. Amidst a police investigation revolving around the family feud, Lee Hsien Yang and his wife deserted Singapore last year and are purportedly residing in Europe, not returning even post his father-in-law’s demise on July 8. He continues to accuse his elder brother’s government of harassment.
(Source: Malay Mail)
