Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered a review after questions were raised in parliament and on social media about colonial homes rented by two of his cabinet ministers.
Lee said on May 23 that he’s asked Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean to lead an inquiry into the issue of the residences rented by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Law Minister K Shanmugam.
The review will determine “whether proper processes have been followed, and if there has been any wrongdoing,” Lee said in a statement. “This must be done to ensure that this government maintains the highest standards of integrity.”
The reports should be completed and ready for presentation at the next sitting of parliament in July, Lee said, adding that the ministers supported an independent review.
The rentals were in “full compliance” of the Singapore Land Authority’s procedures, the agency which manages the two sprawling homes said May 12. Opposition politician Kenneth Jeyaretnam had questioned whether the ministers were “paying less than the fair market value” for the bungalows along Ridout Road, near a high-end entertainment and lifestyle hub.
