Singapore’s political landscape was shaken recently by two unexpected resignations from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), including the influential parliament speaker, Tan Chuan-Jin. These developments have further exacerbated one of the city-state’s most significant political crises in recent memory.
Once deemed a potential candidate for prime minister, Tan, aged 54, voluntarily stepped down from both his government positions and party roles, as confirmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a statement issued on Monday. This marks the second occasion in slightly over a decade that a parliament speaker has resigned due to inappropriate personal relationships.
Tan’s departure adds to a series of scandals that have sent shockwaves throughout Singapore. The country has recently been grappling with a graft probe involving a cabinet minister, as well as investigations into expensive rentals by two other members of Lee’s administration. These incidents come at a critical juncture for the PAP, as it navigates a leadership succession after leading the nation for nearly six decades, all while grappling with mounting discontent among voters concerning rising living costs.
Prime Minister Lee acknowledged Tan’s resignation, emphasizing the need to uphold the PAP’s historically high standards of propriety and personal conduct, stating, “I have accepted Mr. Tan’s resignation from the People’s Action Party.” However, political analysts are characterizing these events as an unexpected shock and an undeniable crisis for the PAP. The party had been carefully laying the groundwork for a new generation of politicians to assume leadership, with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the forefront. The PAP faces a national vote by 2025 and a presidential election by September, heightening the need for stable leadership during this tumultuous period.
Felix Tan, a political analyst at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, remarked on the potential impact of these developments, saying, “This would mean that Lawrence Wong will have his hands full as he mitigates this political minefield. Just when we thought we had enough political intrigue, we now face yet another wave of political turbulence that appears poised to engulf Singapore.”
In his resignation letter, Tan acknowledged making an error in parliament by using “unparliamentary language” and extended an apology to an opposition lawmaker. Although he initially claimed to have muttered to himself, his “private thoughts” were captured during a recording of the parliamentary hearing.
Reflecting on the consequences of his actions, Tan wrote in his letter, which was released by the Prime Minister’s Office: “For me personally, this recent episode has added to the hurt I have caused my family. I have let them down. We have spoken about my personal conduct before.”
Later, Prime Minister Lee confirmed to local media that Tan had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with fellow PAP lawmaker Cheng Li Hui, who has also tendered her resignation.
Lee acknowledged the painful nature of such actions, as they affect “our friends and comrades-in-arms” and may lead to political embarrassment and costs. Still, he emphasized the importance of the PAP maintaining discipline and standards of conduct.
These resignations have the potential to erode voter confidence, especially following last week’s arrest of Transport Minister S. Iswaran and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng in a corruption investigation, which has challenged Singapore’s longstanding reputation for clean governance.
Earlier in June, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam received clearance from the anti-corruption bureau after scrutiny regarding their rental of colonial houses near a high-end lifestyle hub. Lee had ordered a review following opposition inquiries into whether the ministers received preferential rates.
Despite the challenges, it is expected that the ruling party will regroup and address these challenges head-on. Restoring public trust and confidence will definitely be one of the party’s top priorities.
Market Capital Research 