PETALING JAYA: Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC), resigned on Monday (July 17) due to an “inappropriate relationship” with Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui.
Cheng also resigned from her post on the same day, and both of them have quit the People’s Action Party (PAP).
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in a press conference that it is “simply inappropriate to have a Speaker having a relationship with one of the MPs”.
Here is a list of other politicians in Singapore who vacated their seats due to alleged affairs:
1. Michael Palmer
In 2012, then Speaker of the House, Michael Palmer, resigned from his positions and as a MP when a member of the public exposed his relationship with a People’s Association (PA) staff member.
News reports in 2012 stated that then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean only learnt about Palmer’s transgression after the latter approached him.
He apparently told Teo on December 8, 2012. Having done that, Palmer offered his resignation, which Teo conveyed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
2. David Ong
People’s Action Party (PAP) Bukit Batok MP David Ong, resigned suddenly on March 12, 2016 was believed to have had an extramarital affair with a woman who is a grassroots activist in his ward.
The woman is understood to be Wendy Lim, 41, who works in a logistics firm. She was 13 years his junior and the relationship was exposed only after her husband complained about it.
He resigned on March 12, via a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, although no details were given about the alleged affair.
3. Yaw Shin Leong
In 2012, there were allegations of Yaw Shin Leong, WP’s MP, having an extramarital affair with a fellow married WP member. The party expelled Yaw with immediate effect.
Yaw did not contest the expulsion and vacated his Parliament seat, leaving it vacant. Yaw then moved overseas to China, Vietnam and Myanmar.
However, he came out in 2021 to deny statements WP secretary-general Pritam Singh made regarding the 2012 affair.
