A campaign to gather signatures for an online petition aimed at preserving the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s house as a national monument has so far garnered more than 1,450 supporters on change.org.
Benedict Yuen started the petition a few days ago because he felt the property at 38 Oxley Road had historical significance and should not be torn down.
The story has already attracted more than 260 Facebook likes after it was published on PropertyGuru last Thursday. Read more > Call to preserve LKY’s home
But this appeal seems to go against the wishes of Mr Lee who wanted the house demolished after he died.
Many Singaporeans appear to be divided on the issue. While some feel it’s an important part of Singapore’s history, others believe the wishes of Mr Lee and his family must be respected.
“It belongs to their family. Let them decide what they wish to do with it. (Those) outside the family should (not) poke their noses into the Lee’s family affairs. The late Mr Lee even asked for it to be demolished,” wrote Corinne Goh on PropertyGuru’s official Facebook page.
Over at the petition website, countless supporters like Samuel Lam have expressed their desire to safeguard the site.
“I feel this is a cause worthy of recognition, even if it means going against his wishes. Mr Lee wished for the demolition of his house as he feared that his house will fall into a state of disrepair such as that of other museum-houses in different countries. Surely we, as Singaporeans, can be responsible enough to protect this little bit of legacy he has left behind?”
Others like Seah Li Ching dream of stepping inside the house in future. “I wish to visit Mr Lee’s residence and understand how his daily lifestyle was like in the past. Hope we can keep this in memory and pass it down to (other) generations,” she shared.
Screenshot of the petition page.
As for Yuen’s reasons for wanting to see it saved, he explained that Singapore’s pioneer leaders had gathered there more than 50 years ago to help chart the country’s future, which included pushing for independence.
He thinks turning it into a museum would give the public more insight into Singapore’s past – something history textbooks can’t do. He added that the site’s preservation would come under the National Heritage Board, whose job is to ensure all monuments are kept in good condition.
Having read some of the arguments, are you for or against turning Mr Lee’s home into a memorial? Have your say by sending comments to: editor@propertyguru.com.sg
Image: Inside Lee Kuan Yew’s home. (Photo from Stomp.com.sg)
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Singapore Editor at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
