The Singapore government has strongly contested remarks made by Li Shengwu, a Harvard University professor, in a video published by The New York Times
The Singapore government has strongly contested remarks made by Li Shengwu, a Harvard University professor, in a video published by The New York Times (NYT). The video, titled How Tyranny Begins: It Can Happen Here in America, released on January 22, featured Li alongside other individuals discussing alleged oppression in their respective countries, including Russia, Hungary, and Nicaragua.
Li, the grandson of Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, criticised the actions of his uncle, current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, accusing him of using police investigations and legal action to suppress political opponents. He also referred to a 2017 Facebook post that led to a contempt of court charge, which Li said resulted in a criminal prosecution by the Singapore government. According to Li, this led him to flee the country.
In response, Singapore’s ambassador to the United States, Lui Tuck Yew, wrote a letter to the NYT editor on January 26, refuting Li’s assertions. Lui pointed out that Li had never been exiled, jailed, or stripped of his assets, as some of the other individuals in the video claimed. He clarified that Li paid a $15,000 fine in 2020 and has not faced further legal action, adding that Li remains a Singaporean citizen and is free to return at any time.
Lui also addressed Li’s comment on the importance of fighting for justice, inviting him to participate in Singapore’s upcoming General Election, which is expected to take place by November. The ambassador expressed disappointment over Li’s portrayal of Singapore, stating it was regrettable that Li chose to criticise the country his grandfather helped build.
Additionally, Lui rebutted a separate NYT article from January 11 that referred to Lee Kuan Yew as “authoritarian” and described the Lee family as “Singapore’s first family,” dismissing both characterisations as misleading.
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