Lee Hsien Yang, son of Singapore's founding leader, has been granted asylum in the UK

Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, has been granted asylum in the UK after alleging prosecution by the government of his brother, Lee Hsien Loong, who was prime minister till recently.

The BBC said in a report on Wednesday (Oct 23) that Yang, who is a businessmen and a military brigadier, claimed he and his family have faced oppression and legal action.

The bickering was over the estate of their father, which had led to a bitter family feud for years that captivated Singapore, especially over a family home at 38 Oxley Road.

The late leader had wanted the home to be demolished after his death.

Yang and his sister Lee Wei Ling who died recently had accused their brother Lee Hsien Loong, who continues to be in the current government, of exploiting their father's legacy to keep himself in power.

Yang has said multiple times that he and his family were political refugees, even as the Singapore government denied any persecution, while maintaining that they are free to return to the southeast Asian city state.

For several years now, Yang has been living in a self-imposed exile with his wife and one of his sons.

According to the BBC report, Yang said he sought UK asylum "as a last resort", hoping to return to Singapore some day.

He will continue to be politically active as a member of the opposition Progress Singapore Party.

The UK asylum was granted after confirmation that Yang had "well-founded fear of persecution," as perdocuments seen by BBC.

The Lee siblings' fatherLee Kuan Yew, considered the founding father of modern Singapore,died in 2015.

Till he fell out with his brother, Yang himself was very much part of the so-called first family of Singapore, and once was the chief of the country's largest telecom firm.

After the feud, he joined the opposition ranks and became an ardent critic of the government.

Yang and his family have been investigated by the government, which he described as a 'pattern of persecution.'

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His elder brother Lee Hsien Loong said in 2024 that he will not seek re-election, and in May he became a minister in the cabinet of current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

For its part, the Singapore government said Yang's allegations are 'without' basis. It said in a statement that Yang and family had no legal restraints. "They are and have always been free to return to Singapore," it said in a staetment.

(With inputs from agencies)