Two prominent members of Singapore’s major opposition party have resigned after coming out about an improper connection, the latest controversy to rock a country that is usually free of political turmoil. After a video surfaced earlier this week showing member of parliament Leon Perera and its youth wing president Nicole Seah shaking hands, the Workers’ Party (WP) announced on Wednesday that the two had submitted resignation papers. According to Singh, Perera first lied about the connection when questioned about it in late 2020 or early 2021. “The constitution of the Workers’ Party requires candidates to be honest and frank in their dealings with the party and the people of Singapore,” Singh said.
Singh said that Seah had first denied the connection when questioned by party leaders and that the couple’s actions were “unacceptable.” This is the third political controversy to hit Singapore in the past seven days. A corruption investigation against Transport Minister S. Iswaran was recently given the go light by the prime minister. Iswaran and hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng were both detained last week. A bail hearing resulted in their release. There has been no public disclosure of investigative findings. Last week, a corruption probe led to the arrests of Transport Minister S Iswaran and hotel mogul Ong Beng Seng. A bail hearing resulted in their release. There has been no public disclosure of investigative findings. Premier Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday that the speaker of parliament and another politician from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) had resigned due to their adulterous affair that spanned years. Despite advice to the contrary, the couple continued their romance. Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and legislator Cheng Li Hui also resigned, and Lee said he accepted their resignations because they did not meet the “high standards of propriety and personal conduct” demanded of all politicians.
Members of both the WP and the PAP have been fired for having extramarital affairs in the past. Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, stated that the PAP had more to lose as the ruling party in light of the scandals enveloping its members and that people would assess its actions at the polls, scheduled by 2025. It is unclear how many people believe the PAP has effectively handled concerns of authority, constraint, position, privilege, oversight, and openness. Perera and Seah, both members of the party’s highest decision-making body, publicly apologized to their families, constituents, and the party in resignation letters that were released to the press. With Perera’s departure, the number of WP MPs has dropped from 10 to 8, while initially there were 93 members of parliament.
