Lee Wei Ling, Lee Hsien Yang to stop presenting online evidence, welcome private settlement of Oxley Road dispute

THE younger siblings of Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have said on Thursday that they will stop presenting evidence on social media, and looked forward to settling a weeks-long dispute with PM Lee in private.

They are effectively willing to settle in private with their older brother what had played out in full public view over the past few weeks, which raised serious questions about Singapore's future.

"We are not politicians, and do not wish to see Singapore embroiled in a never-ending public argument. For now, we will cease presenting further evidence on social media, provided that we and our father's wish are not attacked or misrepresented," sister Lee Wei Ling and her brother Lee Hsien Yang said in a Facebook post issued on Thursday morning at about 8.40 am.

This seven-page joint statement comes two days after PM Lee addressed Parliament on allegations by his siblings of an abuse of power over the process of deciding if the Lee family home should be demolished.

PM Lee then issued the ministerial statements on Wednesday that waived his parliamentary privileges. He said that "suing my own brother and sister in court would further besmirch our parents' names", but otherwise had a strong legal case.

The dispute first burst into public eye on June 14 when the two siblings posted on Facebook challenging PM Lee on his intentions over the 38 Oxley Road property.

On Thursday, the two siblings recounted the issues that they had raised throughout, stressing that after they first posted on Facebook on June 14, they had offered a "ceasefire", but were rebuffed.

"We therefore welcome Hsien Loong's stated desire on July 4, 2017 to manage his disagreement with us in private. We look forward to talking without the involvement of lawyers or government agencies," they said.

"Ultimately, it is up to the government, and the people of Singapore, to decide whether and how to hold Lee Hsien Loong to account," they added.

The full joint statement by Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang is presented below: