PM Lee 'deeply touched' by support for Lee Kuan Yew
Meanwhile, a male student is helping in the investigations into the fake PMO website
Lee U-Wen
Singapore
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he is "deeply touched" by the many good wishes and prayers for his father, who remained in hospital for a 43rd straight day on Friday.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew, 91, is still "critically ill" in the intensive care unit at the Singapore General Hospital, said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a brief update on the former prime minister's health.
Mr Lee, a member of parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC, has been hospitalised since Feb 5 for severe pneumonia, and his condition has since then worsened.
On Friday, the younger Mr Lee thanked the public for their support and good wishes. He also posted a black-and-white picture on his Facebook page, showing him as a young boy posing with his parents, Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the late Madam Kwa Geok Choo.
The prime minister wrote: "Have been looking at some old photos from our family collection. So many happy memories over a lifetime."
Members of the public who wish to leave messages for Mr Lee can head to one of at least two designated areas that have been set up.
The first is at the open area outside Block 7 at SGH; the other is at the Tanjong Pagar Community Club in Cantonment Road, where messages of support or flowers may be left each day until closing time. The site will remain open through the weekend.
Meanwhile, the police announced on Friday that a male Singaporean student was assisting them in investigations into a fake PMO notice about Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
On Wednesday, an image of a screenshot of a statement, purporting to be from the PMO's website, went viral, as the statement said Mr Lee had died.
The PMO immediately dismissed it as a hoax and lodged a police report. The authorities managed to identify the suspect within 24 hours. His exact age was not given; the police would only say he was "below 16 years old" and believed to have operated alone.
This particular offence falls under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, and carries a punishment of a fine not exceeding S$50,000 and/or a jail term of up to 10 years.
The acting director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Sekher Warrier, said: "The police take a very stern view against anyone who doctors a government website to spread false information to deceive the public. Individuals who do so must be prepared to face the consequences under the law."
