Overview
- Acting Minister David Neo told Parliament the gazette move targets preservation of the entire site, which does not require keeping the existing buildings in their current condition.
- The Government will study the site once access is obtained and consider all options, including partial or full demolition, with a heritage park cited as one possible public use.
- Authorities pledged to protect family privacy, stating the interior as Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Madam Kwa Geok Choo knew it will not be displayed, recorded, remodelled or duplicated.
- The owner may submit objections by Nov 17 for NHB’s review, and any acquisition would proceed under the Land Acquisition Act with market-based compensation and a right of appeal.
- The rationale given is that the site bears witness to key moments in Singapore’s independence, while a published forum letter urged respecting Mr Lee’s expressed wish for demolition.