Fathership

OP-ED: Lee Hsien Yang - subversion with a side of champagne and caviar

How will history remember Lee Hsien Yang?

|4 min read
OP-ED: Lee Hsien Yang - subversion with a side of champagne and caviar

In April this year, Lee Hsien Yang publicly criticised the impending appointment of Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong as Senior Minister (SM), scheduled following the leadership transition to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong on 15 May 2024.

Lee Hsien Yang asked if DPM Wong will really be calling the shots.

Lee Hsien Yang’s son, Li Shengwu, also expressed dissatisfaction when SM Teo Chee Hean articulated to the media how PM Lee managed the 38 Oxley Road incident in a principled manner, distinguishing his personal affairs from the country's needs.

The younger Li publicly lambasted the media for “attacking his parents again.”

One might question why Lee Hsien Yang did not raise similar concerns when his father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, assumed the roles of Senior Minister and Minister Mentor.

However, it is clear that Lee Hsien Yang's ongoing feud with his elder brother is the primary driver of his actions, leading him to actively undermine the legacy of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew — all out of spite.

Furthermore, Li Shengwu's persistent and outspoken social media presence, discussing local politics among other topics, contrasts with PM Lee Hsien Loong’s statement that his children are not politically inclined and prefer to remain out of the spotlight.

Another 'Lee' in Singapore politics?

There was speculation that Lee Hsien Yang might enter politics with the Progress Singapore Party, though he ultimately did not pursue candidacy - with some observers accusing Lee Hsien Yang of using the elections as a platform to settle personal scores rather than to serve public interest.

His son Li Shengwu, however, appears to be considering a political role.

Perhaps we will indeed see the next generation of Lees in politics.

Subversion with a side of champagne and caviar

In this critical period of leadership transition where both state and non-state actors in the international community will be looking to test Singapore’s 4G leadership, Lee Hsien Yang and his progeny seem intent on undermining Singapore’s image abroad.

It is well-known that Lee Hsien Yang and his wife, Lim Suet Fern, have travelled extensively - on business and first-class seats - engaging with international media in Japan, the UK, and the US to criticise Singaporean leadership.

Having absconded Singapore amidst investigations for perjury - lying under oath during judicial proceedings, Lee Hsien Yang and his family have sold their houses and wines in Singapore and relocated overseas, continuing their affluent lifestyle while potentially undermining Singapore’s interests. This level of privilege sharply contrasts with the common Singaporean, who, facing similar scrutiny, would have no choice but to stand firm and face the music.

Of Treachery and Patriotism

Contrastingly, PM Lee has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to Singapore, exemplified by his decision to return from Cambridge University, rejecting a fellowship offer to join the Singapore Armed Forces, emphasising his role and responsibilities towards the nation.

When Trinity College in Cambridge offered the young Lee Hsien Loong a fellowship to become a mathematician:

“He wrote to his tutor and said - I must go home. I’ve joined the Singapore Armed Forces, my father’s the PM, and for me not to go home and do what I have to do would be bad for the country and bad for me.”

In the letter that PM Lee wrote to his tutor in Cambridge University, PM Lee also said: “I am going back. I do not want to be a spectator and I’m going to play a part in Singapore.”

Mr Lee Kuan Yew noted that PM Lee Hsien Loong’s “commitment to Singapore was total.”

As we near the leadership handover on 15 May, it is clear to most Singaporeans that PM Lee has devoted his life to the service of Singaporeans, a commitment that sadly does not seem to be shared by his younger brother.

Thank you, PM Lee, for your years of dedicated service.

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Who is Nurul Afiqah, the activist who stormed Law Minister K Shanmugam's MPS?

Locum nurse by day, local disruptor by night.

|4 min read
Who is Nurul Afiqah, the activist who stormed Law Minister K Shanmugam's MPS?

What started as a polite exchange at a Meet-the-People Session (MPS) on Wednesday evening (Mar 12), spiraled into chaos at the Chong Pang Branch office in Nee Soon GRC.

Law Minister K Shanmugam found himself squaring off against a group of activists who stormed the session with a singular demand: a rhetorical back and forth over the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA)—Singapore’s 2019 weapon against online lies, and Palestine.

Activists branded Shanmugam a “coward,” flashed middle fingers, and clashed with volunteers trying to capture the melee on video.

Who Is Nurul Afiqah?

Enter Nurul Afiqah, aka Afiqah Kamel—a rising star in Singapore’s activist galaxy. By day, she’s a locum staff nurse; by conviction, she’s a megaphone for the downtrodden, tethered to Sick and Tired, a collective amplifying the voices of healthcare workers and patients.

Her first foray into public activism was on Labour Day 2024, Afiqah seized the mic, railing against the paltry wages and grueling conditions plaguing grassroots healthcare staff. But her fire burns beyond the hospital's burn unit—she’s a fierce advocate for Palestine.

Afiqah Kamel

Since December 8, 2023, she’s hosted Chapterwise Bookclubs every Friday night, first at Punggol - where she resides, and later on at Our Tampines Hub.

These aren’t your average book chats; they’re curated deep dives into the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Her activist streak flared in February 2024 with a cheeky “Free Airshow Attendee Shaming Service”—a satirical jab at Israel’s role in the Singapore Airshow.

Hungry for bigger waves, she teamed up with seasoned rabble-rouser Suraendher Kumaar, trading quiet defiance for full-on disruption.

The art of disruption

Afiqah’s baptism into disruptive activism kicked off on September 16, 2024, alongside Suraendher, targeting MP Edward Chia’s MPS in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

Edward Chia MPS

Armed with pointed questions about Singapore’s alleged ties to Israel’s actions in Palestine, they unleashed a verbal barrage. Chia humored them, and the night ended in a tense “agree to disagree,” with vague promises of follow-ups.

A month later, they cornered MP Sun Xueling—Afiqah’s own Punggol West rep—at her MPS.

The script was familiar: Singapore-Israel ties took center stage, and the back-and-forth felt like a broken record.

By January 2025, REACH, the government’s feedback arm, dangled a closed-door chat. Afiqah and her posse pushed for an open forum but got shut down.

REACH Meeting

The Playbook

The group, operating under the banner we.the.pofma, developed a clear modus operandi: "raid" MPS sessions, pose leading questions about Singapore-Israel ties, present a petition signed by over 70 people condemning Israel, and share interaction summaries on Instagram.

They’ve rallied the public with a battle cry—join the “ongoing initiative,” complete with talking points, constituency hit lists, and post-raid recaps.

Activist Strategy

Interactions reviewed by Fathership suggest the group plans to intensify MPS visits in the lead-up to anticipated elections later in 2025.

The People’s Action Party (PAP) tallies over 10 such ambushes across constituencies in recent months. They’ve slammed the group’s antics as disruptive and antisocial, lamenting the hijacking of a forum meant to serve residents.

Afiqah’s rebel alliance

Afiqah’s activism intersects significantly with Suraendher Kumaar (sometimes spelled Kumarr), a veteran activist known for championing workers’ rights, labor issues, minority rights, and the Palestine cause. Suraendher leads we.the.pofma, a seemingly collaborative group tied to prominent activists like Kokila, Kirsten Han, PJ Thum, Jolovan Wham, and Elijah Tay.

Activist Network

Suraendher Kumaar

His network also includes ties to Leon Perera, a former Workers’ Party member who resigned in 2023 over an infidelity scandal with Nicole Seah. Perera notably served as a keynote speaker at the launch of Suraendher’s People’s Manifesto in July 2024.

Afiqah, through Suraendher Kumar also works closely with SDP Young Democrats.

SDP Young Democrats

Afiqah’s on a collision course with Singapore’s status quo, hell-bent on spotlighting the Israel-Palestine saga and picking apart policies like POFMA.

She has opted for disruptive activism because her Chapterwise Book Club meets weren't impactful enough to change the world.

Trading quiet enlightenment for loud MPS ambushes proved disruptive activism is the real spice of life when polite discussion just won't cut it.