THE ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has “taken a hit” following a high-profile graft probe and the resignations of two party members following the revelation of an extramarital affair, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assured Singaporeans that the government will “uphold standards and do the right thing”.
“Let me assure Singaporeans that we will protect the integrity of our system of government,” he told Parliament in a ministerial statement on Wednesday. “For the good of our country, we will carry through what needs to be done in accordance with the law, even if it may be politically embarrassing and painful to the party.”
He added that he will not “flinch or hesitate to do (his) duty” to keep the Singapore system “robust and clean”.
PM Lee’s statement follows a probe by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) involving Transport Minister S Iswaran, as well as the resignations of former speaker of parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and former member of parliament Cheng Li Hui.
He told the House that the way the incidents are handled shows how seriously the PAP takes its responsibility of governing Singapore and being accountable to Parliament and Singaporeans.
He outlined two aspects of how the PAP government works.
First, there is “zero tolerance” when there is a suspicion or allegation of wrongdoing in the discharge of official duties, especially possible corruption.
Second, “when people slip in their personal lives, the PAP will look at the facts of each case carefully, and deal with the matter as humanely and sensitively as possible, according to the principles the party has established”.
PM Lee added that systems are composed of human beings and “sometimes, something will still go wrong” however comprehensive the safeguards are.
He noted that an open, legitimate relationship between the Speaker and an MP is not in itself objectionable, but an extramarital affair between them is “problematic” and puts other MPs and staff in an awkward position.
Business Times
