SINGAPORE: SingaporeThe speaker of parliament and a female MP resigned on Monday due to “improper conduct”. storywhich has caused the ruling party to be in chaos due to the corruption of government ministers.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he accepted the speaker’s resignation Tan Chuan Jin and MP Cheng Lihui “Maintaining high standards of quality and personal character” of the People’s Action Party (PAP).
They also said they were in an “unsuitable relationship” that continued even after he told them to end it in February.
It was the latest development to shake up the PAP, which has ruled Singapore uninterrupted for 64 years and prides itself on a corruption-free government.
Last week, Transport Minister S. Iswaran was arrested by the powerful Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in a rare probe into high-level corruption.
He is out on bail and is assisting the commission in its investigation.
Prior to this, the two prime ministers were investigated for breaking the law in renting out large houses in the land-poor country, but both were acquitted.
“Put it all together, I can say that this is the biggest problem that has affected the ruling party since 1986 when the Minister of National Development was investigated for corruption,” said political analyst Eugene Tan.
“I think public confidence and the confidence of the ruling party will be greatly affected. And this makes the ruling party more secure,” added Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University.
Elections must be called no later than November 2025, with young leaders expected to take the lead. Lee had previously said he would hand over the leadership to his deputy Lawrence Wong, although he did not give a timeline.
Lee told reporters that Speaker Tan, who is married with two children, had offered to resign earlier this year when he was approached about the matter.
Lee agreed to resign but it was to be done while arrangements were made for a replacement in his district.
The minister also said that he told the speaker to end the matter.
“But recently, I got some information to show that the relationship is going to continue,” Lee said.
Mr Tan, in a letter to the Prime Minister, said he should leave politics to focus on his family.
“I’ve let them down… I have to take responsibility for them and help heal my family,” he wrote.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he accepted the speaker’s resignation Tan Chuan Jin and MP Cheng Lihui “Maintaining high standards of quality and personal character” of the People’s Action Party (PAP).
They also said they were in an “unsuitable relationship” that continued even after he told them to end it in February.
It was the latest development to shake up the PAP, which has ruled Singapore uninterrupted for 64 years and prides itself on a corruption-free government.
Last week, Transport Minister S. Iswaran was arrested by the powerful Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in a rare probe into high-level corruption.
He is out on bail and is assisting the commission in its investigation.
Prior to this, the two prime ministers were investigated for breaking the law in renting out large houses in the land-poor country, but both were acquitted.
“Put it all together, I can say that this is the biggest problem that has affected the ruling party since 1986 when the Minister of National Development was investigated for corruption,” said political analyst Eugene Tan.
“I think public confidence and the confidence of the ruling party will be greatly affected. And this makes the ruling party more secure,” added Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University.
Elections must be called no later than November 2025, with young leaders expected to take the lead. Lee had previously said he would hand over the leadership to his deputy Lawrence Wong, although he did not give a timeline.
Lee told reporters that Speaker Tan, who is married with two children, had offered to resign earlier this year when he was approached about the matter.
Lee agreed to resign but it was to be done while arrangements were made for a replacement in his district.
The minister also said that he told the speaker to end the matter.
“But recently, I got some information to show that the relationship is going to continue,” Lee said.
Mr Tan, in a letter to the Prime Minister, said he should leave politics to focus on his family.
“I’ve let them down… I have to take responsibility for them and help heal my family,” he wrote.