Following the announcement of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin’s resignation from his post as the Speaker and from the People’s Action Party (PAP), there have been new updates and revelations on the situation.
According to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Tan had been in an “inappropriate relationship” with fellow PAP MP Cheng Li Hui, who has also resigned from her position, despite being asked to stop, according to reports by The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia.
Tan, 54, is married with two children while Cheng, 47, is still single.
PM Lee spoke during a press conference and said that he talked to Tan about his relationship with Cheng back in February, and that Tan had offered to resign at the time after admitting that he made a mistake.
PM Lee added that he accepted Tan’s resignation but he needed to make sure that the Kembangan-Chai Chee and Marine Parade residents needed to be taken care of first.
He also added that in the meantime, Tan had to stop her “inappropriate relationship” with Cheng.
However, PM Lee then found out “very recently” that Tan and Cheng had continued their relationship despite being asked to stop.
It was also at the same period that the now-infamous “unparliamentary language” saga came about, where Tan was caught on the mic in parliament muttering “f-ing populist” after Jamus Lim’s speech.
PM Lee had asked to see Tan to discuss about his conduct in parliament as well as his inappropriate relationship with Cheng, which PM Lee described as “he had told me he would break off but he did not.”
The relationship was deemed to be more serious than Tan’s vulgar comments in Parliament because Cheng was a Member of Parliament while Tan was Speaker of Parliament, and PM Lee said that there should not have been a relationship.
PM Lee also added that he was first made aware of the relationship between Tan and Cheng after the General Election 2020, and that the two were spoken to and counseled.
PM Lee’s statement on Cheng Li Hui’s resignation
Statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui’s resignation on 17 July 2023.
Member of Parliament for Tampines East and Tampines GRC Cheng Li Hui resigned today as Member of Parliament, and also as a member of the People’s Action Party.
I have accepted Ms Cheng’s resignation from the People’s Action Party. Her resignation is necessary, to maintain the high standards of propriety and personal conduct which the PAP has upheld all these years. My exchange of letters with her is attached.
In place of Ms Cheng, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health and MP for Tampines GRC will take care of the residents in Tampines East ward in Tampines GRC.
20230717 – Letter from MP Cheng Li Hui to PM Lee (pdf, 89.50KB)
20230717 – Letter from PM Lee to MP Cheng Li Hui (pdf, 42.46KB)
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PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
17 JULY 2023