The Singapore Government formally acquired and took possession of the historic site at 38 Oxley Road on July 31, following years of family disputes. The authorities plan to study options to develop the former family home of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew into a public space, respecting his wishes for privacy.
Government Takes Possession of 38 Oxley Road
When reporters visited the compound on July 31, officers from the National Heritage Board were observed within the area (Straitstimes coverage confirmed).
When asked about the financial compensation awarded for the property, a representative for the Singapore Land Authority stated that the agency could not provide details, noting that compensation figures are released exclusively to the landowner.
A Decade of Family Dispute Over the Historic Bungalow
The pre-war one-storey bungalow served as the family home of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who publicly stated on multiple occasions his desire for the house to be demolished following his death.
The rift intensified in the public sphere, leading then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to deliver a ministerial statement in Parliament in 2017. During that address, he refuted accusations made by his siblings—Lee Hsien Yang and the late Dr Lee Wei Ling—that he wanted the building preserved for political gain against their father’s wishes, while also raising concerns over the circumstances surrounding the preparation of their late father’s final will (according to the reporting).
A ministerial committee subsequently released a report in April 2018 outlining three options for the site: retaining the house entirely, preserving only the historic basement dining room, or permitting demolition. The committee made no formal recommendations at the time, noting that there (was) no need to make a decision on the property while Dr Lee Wei Ling continued living there.
The site was officially gazetted as Singapore’s 77th national monument on Dec 12, 2025. Earlier, on Nov 3, 2025, when the Government announced its intention to pursue monument status, it also declared its plan to acquire the land to safeguard it against private redevelopment.
Sharp Reactions to the Compulsory Acquisition
“The compulsory acquisition of his home is a repudiation of his (Lee Kuan Yew’s) values and a flagrant disregard for his long-held wish.”
Singapore government plans to gazette 38 Oxley Road site as national monument
