Lee Hsien Yang and his wife, disgraced lawyer Lee Suet Fern, are being investigated by the Singapore police for giving false evidence in judicial proceedings over the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's will.

The couple initially agreed to attend the interview requested by the police, but they later refused to attend.

They have since left Singapore and remained out of the country.

Case bears similarity to former Workers' Party MP Raeesah Khan who rejected police interviews but was later found guilty of lying in parliament

In 2021, the police requested for an interview with Raeesah Khan over a case of sexual assault that the former MP alleged was mishandled.

The Serious Sexual Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department, which investigates rape offences, had sent an e-mail to Ms Raeesah on Oct 7 asking her to contact the police and arrange an interview by Oct 14. A follow-up request was later emailed to Raeesah the next day.

Raeesah did not respond to both requests.

Raeesah affirmed previously that her account was true but repeatedly declined to reveal any further details, citing confidentiality concerns.

On November 2021, Raeesah admitted that she had lied on three occasions about the alleged incident in Parliament.

Police interview necessary to ascertain truth

An interview with the police to assist in further investigations does not necessarily mean you will be charged for a criminal offence.

The purpose is to gather information or evidence and to conduct thorough investigations. The case will then be referred to the Attorney General Chambers (AGC) for the next course of action.

If Raeesah had been truthful, an interview would have helped clear up any misconceptions and expeditiously closed the case. However, by declining multiple requests for interviews, Raeesah made it difficult for the police to ascertain the truth of the matter.

As we know later, Raeesah was in fact dishonest and the story of the sexual assault was fabricated - which is also understandably why she declined to be interviewed by the police.

Police: Necessary steps would be taken to complete the investigations in their absence

In response to CNA's queries, the police said on Thursday night that it started investigations against the couple following a referral in October 2021.

The police contacted both of them in June last year and asked them to assist in investigations by attending a police interview.

"They agreed to assist but requested a different date. The police acceded to the request and scheduled an interview in July 2022 based on their availability," the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said.

But the couple did not turn up on the agreed date and sent a letter via email stating that they would not take part in the investigation.

The police have advised them to reconsider taking part in investigations, but they left Singapore and have remained out of the country, said Mr Teo.

The police said they did not receive any replies to their emails asking the couple to reconsider their decision.

"The police have also informed them that the necessary steps would be taken to complete the investigations in their absence," Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean said, adding that the couple's refusal to attend the interview was disappointing.

Is Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Suet Fern hiding something?

During the Disciplinary Tribunal looking at misconduct on the part of Lee Suet Fern, the committee reported that Lee Hsien Yang lied to the public through multiple Faecbook posts about how the last will for Lee Kuan Yew was drafted and that he admitted some of his statements were inaccurate.

When Hsien Yang was asked by the tribunal why his statements on Facebook and in public were at odds with his testimony, Hsien Yang was quoted as saying that statements he made need not be accurate because they were not sworn ones.

His wife Suet Fern was later suspended for 15 months from practising law after being found guilty of misconduct in handling of Lee Kuan Yew's will.

If Lee Hsien Yang feels he is innocent and the subject of a government character-assasination scheme - ironically the same scheme his father was known for - why then would he refuse to set the record straight by attending the interview with the police?

Is Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Suet Fern hiding something?