Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and MP Cheng Li Hui resign over affair

PM Lee says resignations needed to maintain PAP's standards of propriety

- Natasha Ann Zachariah

Speaker of Parliament Tan ChuanJin and Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui have resigned over an extramarital affair, in the latest incident to rock the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

Making the announcement in a statement on Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said their resignations are necessary to maintain the high standards of propriety and personal conduct that the PAP has upheld all these years.

At a press conference later, PM Lee said he had learnt about the "inappropriate relationship" between Mr Tan and Ms Cheng some time after the 2020 General Election, and counselled both of them - most recently in February 2023. But he came across recent information that "strongly suggested that the relationship had continued".

On July 10, a video in which Mr Tan was heard muttering "****ing populist" on the microphone during the first day of debate on the President's Address on April 17, was uploaded onto social media platform Reddit while he was away.

PM Lee said he met Mr Tan after the Speaker returned from leave.

"During our discussion, he agreed to leave immediately - both for his unparliamentary conduct as well as his inappropriate relationship with Ms Cheng, which he had told me he would break off, but he did not," he added.

Mr Tan and Ms Cheng's resignations come on the heels of the arrest and release on bail of Transport Minister S. Iswaran last week. The corruption probe involving Mr Iswaran is ongoing.