Today (2 August 2023), even people who thought that Joe Biden is Singapore’s president were glued to the television or to YouTube, for PM Lee will be speaking about the Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui affair, and also be providing more context about former Transport Minister Iswaran’s CPIB probe.
Even through the Workers’ Party saga was not on the agenda, it was somehow mentioned and more information was revealed.
Summary of New Info Revealed About the Political Scandals in the 2 Aug Parliament Sitting
Tan Chuan-Jin & Cheng Li Hui Saga
If you’ve wondered why PM Lee took two years to take action (as he knew about the affair in 2020) you’re not alone.
PM Lee acknowledges questions about why he took two years to act, saying they are fair.
Reflecting on it, PM Lee admitted he should have intervened sooner. He outlined three scenarios in handling extra-marital affairs:
- The matter ends if the individuals cease the affair after discussions.
- Immediate action is warranted if there’s a supervisory dynamic between involved parties.
- If the affair poses additional ethical concerns, discussions ensue, but actions are inevitable based on transgressions.
The relationship between Mr Tan and Ms Cheng falls into the third scenario. PM Lee had earlier advised them to halt the affair.
He had initially aimed to provide Mr Tan and Ms Cheng a less harsh exit to spare them public humiliation. Sharing his thinking, PM Lee indicated that even if the affair had ended, Mr Tan would likely have been asked to resign as Speaker, and a decision regarding Ms. Cheng’s role would have been forthcoming, though he said it is “quite likely both would have had to leave at some point.”
Addressing a specific query, PM Lee stated he wouldn’t have asked Mr Tan to resign over just the hot mic saga if it wasn’t tied to the affair. However, he admitted the comment was inappropriate and tarnished Parliament’s image.
Upon inquiry from the Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, it was confirmed that Mr Tan and Ms Cheng attended an Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Cambodia in 2022, among 15 other MPs. That was the only official oversea trip they had been together (after 2020).
You can watch this video to know more about the saga:
The S. Iswaran Case
In a notable revelation, Iswaran’s salary has been docked to $8,500 monthly during the CPIB investigation. PM Lee mentioned the lack of clear protocols in dealing with such unique incidents involving political office holders, so civil service practices were employed.
When investigations are completed, PM Lee says the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will then decide what to do.
Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing then answered questions filed by the MPs.
He emphasized that typically, individuals under investigation aren’t named to ensure fairness and to prevent premature assumptions of guilt.
In Mr Iswaran’s case, the CPIB deviated from this practice but didn’t specify his arrest initially. This was to gather more facts and hear Mr Iswaran’s side. As the investigation progressed and more parties got involved, like Mr Ong Beng Seng of HPL, the matter became public.
Three days later, it was clarified that the minister had been arrested and bailed.
You can watch this video to know more about the saga:
The Leon Perera and Nicole Seah Episode:
This unexpected topic emerged when Sembawang GRC MP Vikram Nair questioned the Workers’ Party about their actions in protecting the identity of a driver acting as an informant.
Mr Singh responded that there was insufficient corroborative evidence to justify interviewing the driver. Mr Singh had also approached Mr Perera directly about rumored indiscretions, receiving denials.
Concerning the driver’s identity, Mr Singh mentioned that the driver himself had shared allegations with numerous WP members, thus not appearing keen on anonymity.
It’s also revealed that he was a former police officer.
You can watch this video to know more about the saga:
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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