In order to escape a probable arrest from his uncle Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Li Shengwu left Singapore one week earlier than planned to US. Li Shengwu was strongly advised by his friends to leave Singapore after he told them he received a letter of demand from the Attorney General Chambers (AGC), where his uncle’s former personal lawyer is now Attorney General. Li Shengwu made a new booking two days right after he received the letter and flew to US Massachusetts on July 23.
Li Shengwu told Reuters in an interview published today (Aug 18):
“In Singapore, it is possible that one can be detained and interrogated for some time without a lawyer. My friends had warned me that they were concerned for my safety if I remained in Singapore.”
Just last month, the dictatorship regime sent a spy to take a screenshot of a private post on Li Shengwu’s Facebook profile page. The AGC is using the screenshot to press charges against Li Shengwu, claiming that he slandered the government and judiciary. The private Facebook post’s content was made public by the AGC, which was revealed that Li Shengwu labelled the Singapore judiciary as “pliant” to the government.
Li Shengwu responded in a press release stating that the post was meant to be private and also declared that he will not return to Singapore to face contempt of court charges.
According to sources close to the Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong is frustrated that he is not able to arrest his brother, Lee Hsien Yang and sister-in-law, Lee Suet Fern, who left for Hongkong. The dictator Prime Minister wanted to charge them for doctoring the last will of their father Lee Kuan Yew’s decision to demolish the 38 Oxley Road house. Failing to to get his hands on his brother, Lee Hsien Loong turned to their son and his nephew, Li Shengwu.
Li Shengwu is currently a junior fellow with Harvard University, and will be becoming a professor by October next year. He is seen as a political contender and threat to Lee Hsien Loong’s son, Li Hongyi, who is currently a high ranking civil servant with the propaganda ministry, Ministry of Communications and Information.