BREAKING NEWS

Son of founder of modern Singapore says he is now a political refugee

Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of the founder of modern Singapore Lee Kuan Yew and estranged brother of former premier Lee Hsien Loong, said on Tuesday he is now a political refugee from Singapore under the UN Refugee Convention.

He said in a Facebook post that Britain has determined that he faces "a well-founded risk of persecution, and cannot safely return to Singapore."

Singapore's government has said a claim by the youngest son of the country's modern founder that he is facing persecution in the city-state is "baseless" and "unfounded," Channel News Asia reported.

In an online article, Channel News Asia carried an image of a government statement, which it said was a response to questions from the Guardian newspaper.