Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke in Parliament earlier today on a number of issues, addressing the recent scandal involving former speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin and former Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui, as well as touching on the subject of Minister of Transport S. Iswaran’s investigation by the Corrupt Practices and Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
He also made reassurances to Singaporeans that the PAP take their responsibility of governing Singapore seriously, and that they will protect the integrity of their system of government.
Snippet of PM Lee’s Ministerial Statement
Mr Speaker, Sir – there has been a great deal of public interest over the recent series of incidents – CPIB arresting and investigating a Minister, MPs resigning, and before that the allegations about the Ridout rentals.
The way we have handled these incidents shows how seriously the PAP takes our responsibility of governing Singapore, and being accountable to Parliament and to Singaporeans.
Let me assure Members: When such issues come up, we will deal with them properly and transparently – as we have done. With the Ridout rentals, when allegations of preferential treatment surfaced, the two Ministers involved were thoroughly investigated, including by CPIB, and eventually fully exonerated. The investigation reports were tabled in Parliament, and we had a long session answering MPs’ questions in this House. When CPIB discovered, on its own, that it had reason to arrest and interview a Minister, it opened a formal investigation. Nobody tipped them off. There had been no public scandal. CPIB came across something that needed investigating, and proceeded to do their job. When the Speaker of Parliament and a government MP fell short of the standards of propriety and personal conduct expected of them, they were asked to resign. We took some time to sort it out, probably longer than we should have. But we did what we needed to do, and put the situation right.
The two CPIB investigations, and the response to the personal misconduct case, show two aspects of how this PAP Government works. One, when there is suspicion or allegation of wrongdoing in the discharge of official duties, especially possible corruption, there is zero tolerance. Two, 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 that the Party has established.
Systems are composed of human beings. In any system, however comprehensive the safeguards, sometimes something will still go wrong. The PAP Government does our utmost to minimise that possibility. We work hard to identify the right people to bring into politics, and appoint into responsible positions. We vet them carefully, test and stretch them, before entrusting them with heavier responsibilities. Often they measure up, but sometimes they fall short. Occasionally they transgress norms of conduct, or commit wrongdoing.
Singapore has seen corruption cases involving political office holders in the past: Mr Tan Kia Gan in 1966, he was then former Minister of National Development, Mr Wee Toon Boon in 1975, he was then a Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Mr Teh Cheang Wan in 1986, he was Minister for National Development and earlier in 1979, Mr Phey Yew Kok, then President of NTUC and also an MP. All these cases were handled by Mr Lee Kuan Yew who was then Prime Minister – thoroughly, transparently, and applying the full force of the law. That is still how the PAP Government deals with such cases. It has not changed under my charge; and it won’t change under my successor either.
Let me assure Singaporeans that we will protect the integrity of our system of government. 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. I will not flinch or hesitate to do my duty, to keep our system robust and clean. This is how the PAP Government can continue to deserve the trust that Singaporeans have placed upon us.
I have spoken often about how precious trust is and how crucial it is for our democracy to work well. The founding generation built up Singapore and entrusted it to our generation in good shape. It is incumbent on us to protect and uphold this system, to keep it incorruptible and clean, and maintain high standards of propriety. With the investigation into Minister Iswaran, and the resignations of the Speaker and an MP, the PAP has taken a hit, but we will show Singaporeans that we will uphold standards and do the right thing, so that trust is maintained, and the Singapore system continues to work well.
This is my approach, and I am confident it will be my successor’s approach too. This is how we will keep Singapore safe, strong and prosperous for many years to come.