In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Li Xianyang, the second son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has revealed that he sought asylum in the UK after what he describes as a campaign of persecution against him. He supports opposition parties following a split in the Lee family, which has led to a fallout with the autocratic regime established by his father. “Although Singapore’s economy is thriving, it has a dark side—there is government oppression. People think it’s some sort of paradise, but it’s not,” he stated.

The rift within the Lee family became public when Li Xianyang, along with his sister Li Wei Ling, clashed openly with his brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, over the potential demolition of their father’s ancestral home. Li Wei Ling recently passed away, and during her life, she had joined Li Xianyang in accusing their brother of abusing his power as Prime Minister for personal political motives.

Li Xianyang claims that under Lee Hsien Loong’s rule, authorities lodged “groundless accusations” against him, filing a series of legal complaints that escalated to a level where he felt his personal safety was at risk, prompting him to leave Singapore.

Recent years have seen Singapore’s financial system embroiled in multiple international corruption scandals. Li Xianyang comments, “People need to move past Singapore’s reckless and misleading claims and confront the realities. The world must pay closer attention to Singapore’s key roles in arms trading, money laundering, drug funding, and cryptocurrencies.”

The Guardian’s interview notes that Lee Hsien Loong, similar to his father, continues to wield significant influence through his role as Senior Minister. While the methods of control may be more subtle, Human Rights Watch (HRW) still categorizes Singapore as experiencing “overwhelming oppression.”

Now officially recognized as a refugee in the UK, Li Xianyang aligns with HRW’s views, stating, “Sadly, Singapore presents a very shiny facade claiming we have a strong rule of law and a developed society. However, at its core, it retains these oppressive measures—many of which indeed stem from my father’s tenure as Prime Minister and the British colonial period.”

Having joined the opposition Progress Singapore Party in 2020, he is convinced that the current accusations against him are politically motivated attempts to undermine him. He also noted he has long been a target of Singapore’s extensive surveillance system.

After departing Singapore and relocating to the UK, Li Xianyang finally secured asylum in August, saying, “I believe this is an acknowledgment that Singapore has been persecuting me.” When asked about Lee Hsien Loong’s role in his situation, he remarked, “In my view, in such a tightly controlled country like Singapore, actions like these could not happen without Lee Hsien Loong’s consent and approval.”