{{Short description|Singaporean neurologist (1955–2024)}} {{family name hatnote|Lee {{noitalic|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|李}}}})}}|lang=Chinese}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Lee Wei Ling | caption = Lee in 1986 | native_name = {{nobold|李玮玲}} | native_name_lang = Chinese | image = Lee Wei Ling.png | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1955|01|07|df=y}} | birth_place = Singapore | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|10|09|1955|01|07|df=y}} | death_place = Singapore | occupation = Neurologist | alma_mater = University of Singapore (MBBS) | parents = Lee Kuan Yew (father)<br />Kwa Geok Choo (mother) | family = Lee Hsien Loong (brother)<br />Lee Hsien Yang (brother) }}
'''Lee Wei Ling''' (7 January 1955 – 9 October 2024) was a Singaporean neurologist. She was the director of the National Neuroscience Institute.
A prominent member of the Lee family, she was the younger sister of Lee Hsien Loong, the older sister of Lee Hsien Yang and the only daughter of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding prime minister of Singapore.
==Early life and career== Lee was born on 7 January 1955.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/dr-lee-wei-ling-profile-prominent-neurologist-speak-out-issues-4667696 |title=Lee Wei Ling: A prominent neurologist who didn't shy away from speaking out |work=CNA|date=9 October 2024}}</ref> She received a President's Scholarship in 1973, before studying in the medical faculty of the University of Singapore (now the National University of Singapore), where she graduated top of her class with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree before specialising in pediatrics.<ref>{{cite web |title=To what end, all the President's Scholars? |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/to-what-end-all-the-presidents-scholars |website=The Straits Times |date=30 August 2015 |publisher= |access-date=5 December 2020|last=Lee|first=Wei Ling|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327030509/https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/to-what-end-all-the-presidents-scholars|archive-date=27 March 2016}}</ref>
She began working in the pediatric ward at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and received board certification from the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Tan |first1=Judith |last2=Yuen-C |first2=Tham |date=2024-10-09 |title=Lee Wei Ling: Fearless fighter, friend of the underdog |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lee-wei-ling-fearless-fighter-friend-of-the-underdog |access-date=2024-10-09 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}</ref>
==Personal life== Lee Wei Ling was the daughter of Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo. She was the younger sister of Lee Hsien Loong and the older sister of Lee Hsien Yang.
Wei Ling enjoyed driving and admitted to speeding on a visit to New Hampshire in 1995; she was pulled over by highway police but was released by the sympathetic officer after discussing the caning of Michael Fay.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Wei Ling |title=A Hakka Woman's Singapore |publisher=Straits Times Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-981-4642-47-7 |edition=1st |pages=274–277}}</ref>
In 2015, shortly after the death of her father, Lee Wei Ling published an autobiographical book, ''A Hakka Woman's Singapore'', based on columns that she had previously written.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 September 2015 |title=Lee Wei Ling's candid views make for a page-turner |language=en |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/lee-wei-lings-candid-views-make-for-a-page-turner |issn=0585-3923}}</ref> She publicly spoke against hero worship of the founding Prime Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Family feud over 'hero worship' erupts in Singapore |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Family-feud-over-hero-worship-erupts-in-Singapore |access-date=11 April 2016 |first=Justina |last=Lee |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2016, an editor at ''The Straits Times'' accused Lee of plagiarism in an unpublished article.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Straits Times editor claims Lee Wei Ling plagiarised whole paragraphs for her unpublished commentary |url=https://mothership.sg/2016/04/straits-times-editor-claims-lee-wei-ling-plagiarised-whole-paragraphs-for-her-unpublished-commentary/ |first=Martino |last=Tan |date=9 April 2016 |website=mothership.sg |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ST never brought up issue of plagiarism, Lee Wei Ling responds to ST's accusation - Singapore News |url=https://theindependent.sg/st-never-brought-up-issue-of-plagiarism-lee-wei-ling-responds-to-sts-accusation/ |date=9 April 2016 |website=The Independent Singapore News |language=en-US}}</ref> Lee publicly supported freedom of speech<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 August 2016 |title=Singapore parliament passes controversial contempt of court bill |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-rights-idUSKCN10Q1L1 |first=Fathin |last=Ungku}}</ref> and stated that she would cease writing for the newspaper following the editorial dispute.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 2016 |title=Lee Wei Ling: I will no longer write for SPH |url=http://news.yahoo.com/lee-wei-ling-i-will-no-longer-write-for-sph-074954784.html |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2022, Lee Wei Ling reportedly sold a property worth S$50 million to Yonghong Shi, a cofounder of Haidilao.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 September 2022 |first=Marcus|last=Wong |title=Lee Kuan Yew's Daughter Sells Bungalow for S$50 Million: ST |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-17/lee-kuan-yew-s-daughter-sells-bungalow-for-s-50-million-st }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 September 2022 |first=Fiona |last=Tan |title=Haidilao co-founder buys Lee Wei Ling's Good Class Bungalow at Cluny Hill for S$50 million |url=https://mothership.sg/2022/09/lee-wei-ling-gcb/ |website=mothership.sg |language=en}}</ref>
=== Administrator of Lee Kuan Yew's will === Lee Wei Ling and her brother, Lee Hsien Yang, were the joint administrators and executors of Lee Kuan Yew's will.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/lee-kuan-yews-daughter-lee-wei-ling-dies-691 |title=Lee Kuan Yew's daughter Lee Wei Ling dies at 69 |work=The Business Times|date=9 October 2024 }}</ref> However, they were in a dispute in 2017 with Lee Hsien Loong over their late father's will with regard to the house at 38 Oxley Road. They "felt threatened by Lee Hsien Loong's misuse of his position and influence over the Singapore government and its agencies to drive his personal agenda". They alleged that Hsien Loong used his father's legacy to improve Hsien Loong's reputation and that he thwarted the will of their father in order to use the house at 38 Oxley Road as a monument to their father, which was something that their father allegedly did not want. They also criticised the influence of Ho Ching over the government, and alleged that the Prime Minister harboured political ambitions for his son, Li Hongyi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holmes |first=Oliver |date=14 June 2017 |title=Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong denounced by siblings |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/14/singapore-lee-hsien-loong-siblings-accuse-him-of-abusing-power |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=11 July 2020 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> A special parliamentary session was held to clear the Prime Minister of any wrongdoings and the siblings agreed to keep the dispute private after the session.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Kotwani |first1=Monica |last2=Zhu |first2=Melissa |last3=See Kit |first3=Tang |date=3 July 2017 |title=PAP MPs raise questions over Oxley Road dispute in Parliament debate |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/parliament/pap-mps-raise-questions-over-oxley-road-dispute-in-parliament-8999752 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215142607/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/parliament/pap-mps-raise-questions-over-oxley-road-dispute-in-parliament-8999752 |archive-date=15 December 2017 |access-date=15 December 2017 |website=CNA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Abu Baker |first1=Jalelah |last2=Chia |first2=Lianne |date=3 July 2017 |title='An ugly media circus': Workers' Party urges settlement of Oxley Road dispute in court |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/an-ugly-media-circus-workers-party-urges-settlement-of-oxley-8999450 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211121502/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/an-ugly-media-circus-workers-party-urges-settlement-of-oxley-8999450 |archive-date=11 December 2017 |access-date=12 December 2017 |website=CNA}}</ref>
===Illness and death=== In August 2020, Lee Wei Ling stated on a Facebook post that she had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder that results in the weakening of certain muscles. Lee was known for her stoicism and stated that she would "endure" in the face of her condition.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 August 2020|title=Lee Wei Ling diagnosed with rare brain disorder with no cure, wishes it was a nightmare|url=https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/lee-wei-ling-diagnosed-rare-brain-disorder-no-cure-wishes-it-was-nightmare|access-date=5 December 2020|website=AsiaOne|language=en}}</ref>
Lee died at her home on 9 October 2024, at the age of 69.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dr Lee Wei Ling, Lee Kuan Yew's daughter, dies at 69 |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lee-kuan-yew-s-daughter-lee-wei-ling-dies-at-the-age-of-69 |access-date=9 October 2024 |publisher=The Straits Times |date=9 October 2024}}</ref> Her body was cremated at Mandai Crematorium, and her ashes were scattered in sea off Scotland.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-10-12 |title=Farewell to Dr Lee Wei Ling: Rain marks solemn tribute, echoing her father's funeral |url=https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/10/12/farewell-to-dr-lee-wei-ling-rain-marks-solemn-tribute-echoing-her-fathers-funeral/ |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=The Online Citizen |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241020185843/https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/10/12/farewell-to-dr-lee-wei-ling-rain-marks-solemn-tribute-echoing-her-fathers-funeral/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Publications== * {{Cite book |last1=Lee |first1=Wei Ling |title=A Hakka woman's Singapore stories: my life as a daughter, doctor, and diehard Singaporean |last2=Yap |first2=Koon Hong |date=2016 |publisher=Straits Times Press |isbn=978-981-4642-47-7 |location=Singapore}}
{{Lee Kuan Yew family tree}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{facebook|38OxleyRoad}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Wei Ling}} Category:1955 births Category:Singaporean people of Teochew descent Category:2024 deaths Category:20th-century Singaporean people Category:Peranakan people in Singapore Category:20th-century Singaporean women Category:Singaporean people of Chinese descent Category:21st-century autobiographers Category:Singaporean people of Hokkien descent Category:21st-century Singaporean women writers Category:Children of prime ministers of Singapore Category:Lee family (Singapore) Category:National University of Singapore alumni Category:Women neurologists Category:Singaporean medical doctors Category:Singaporean people of Hakka descent Category:Women autobiographers Category:Deaths from progressive supranuclear palsy Category:Neurological disease deaths in Singapore