Lee Kuan Yew’s second son, Lee Hsien Yang, was granted asylum by the UK and may be deprived of his citizenship if he has not returned to Singapore for 10 consecutive years

In an exclusive interview, Li Xianyang, the son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, revealed that he has been granted political asylum in the United Kingdom. He stated that he has received a five-year refugee status.

According to media reports, under Singaporean law, if a citizen over the age of 18 does not return to the country for a consecutive period of ten years, the government can revoke their citizenship. The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that as of June 2024, 40 Singaporeans have obtained asylum in five countries, including the United States, where a total of 12 individuals have received asylum, among them Yu Pongsan in 2017.

Li Xianyang took to social media to announce that, according to the Refugee Convention, he is now classified as a political refugee, as UK authorities have determined that he faces a “well-founded fear of persecution and cannot return safely to Singapore.”

The discord between Li Xianyang and his siblings, particularly with his brother Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been evident since the passing of their father in 2015. The siblings have publicly disagreed on how to manage their father’s ancestral home, leading to a strained relationship that has drawn media attention.

Professor Chen Youli, a guest lecturer at the National University of Singapore’s Law Faculty, commented that Li Xianyang’s political asylum status would not affect his citizenship unless he remains outside of Singapore for more than ten years without returning. He reiterated the legal stipulation that could lead to citizenship revocation under such circumstances.

According to a report from the BBC, Li Xianyang presented documents confirming the approval of his asylum application, which stated that the UK government had granted him five years of refugee status.

In response to media inquiries, the Singaporean government asserted that Li Xianyang’s claims of being a victim of unfounded persecution are baseless, noting that he and his wife are not facing any legal constraints and are free to return to Singapore.

Additionally, Tan Chuan-Jin, Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth, took to Facebook to announce that the National Heritage Board will assess whether the residence at 38 Oxley Road holds significant historical, cultural, or architectural value for future considerations.

Recently, Li Xianyang expressed his intention to apply for the demolition of the Oxley Road home to honor and fulfill his parents’ wishes, planning to replace it with a small private residence that will remain in the family.