Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign ‘to weed out rivals’, says Lee Kuan Yew’s daughter
Criticism
made by outspoken sister of Singapore’s prime minister in a rare salvo
against Beijing by Southeast Asian leaders or their families
PUBLISHED : Monday, 02 January, 2017, 10:50am
UPDATED : Monday, 02 January, 2017, 10:58am
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The daughter of Singapore’s founding father
Lee Kuan Yew appears to have weighed in on the debate over President Xi
Jinping’s much touted anti-corruption campaign in China, describing it
as “a game” designed to tighten his grip on power.
“Xi is playing a game where he appears to weed
out ‘corrupts’” while replacing them with “his own people”, said Dr Lee
Wei Ling, a neurosurgeon and the younger sister of Singapore’s Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on her Facebook account on January 1.
She was commenting on a report by The Guardian
newspaper, which cited mainland authorities as saying Beijing had
recovered 2.3 billion yuan (HK2.56 billion) from losses to corruption
and arrested 122 government officials who were on the run last year.
Her criticism came as diplomatic and economic
relations between Beijing and Singapore have been strained over a series
of spats in recent weeks including territorial disputes in the South
China Sea and the seizure of nine combat vehicles by Hong Kong customs in November as they were shipped back to the city state from Taiwan.
While Xi openly warns that the Communist Party’s
legitimacy hinges on the fight against rampant official corruption, his
critics have long argued the anti-graft drive he launched after taking
office in late 2012 was largely aimed at tearing down or silencing his
opponents.
But it is rare for foreign dignitaries or their
relatives, especially those in Beijing-friendly Southeast Asian nations,
to openly rebuke top Chinese leaders.
While her brother Lee Hsien Loong has been
critical of Beijing’s assertiveness in pressing its claims in the South
China Sea, he has seldom pointed the finger at Xi.
Dr Lee grabbed the headlines early last year
over a rare feud with her brother over the first anniversary of their
father’s death.
She accused the incumbent Singapore leader on
her Facebook account of “abusing his power” by conducting elaborate
anniversary events and trying to establish a political dynasty.
“Lee Kuan Yew would have cringed at the hero worship just one year after his death,” she said.
The family feud escalated in September when she lashed out at her brother for media censorship.
She said the Singapore media dare not disobey her brother and sister-in-law Ho Ching.
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