Singapore’s new parliament speaker reminded the city-state’s lawmakers to uphold high standards, with his comments flicking at a series of controversies that have gripped the nation.
Seah Kian Peng fills a role vacated by previous speaker Tan Chuan-Jin, who unexpectedly resigned last month with another ruling party lawmaker over an affair. Days after the shock development, another parliamentarian from the country’s main opposition party announced his departure following a similar inappropriate relationship.
“We are all too human, and as recent events have reminded us, our weaknesses are not only physical but also spiritual and moral,” Seah said in parliament on Wednesday. “I say this not to join with the chorus of sanctimony, but to reflect first on the need for us all to be vigilant in our personal conduct and choices.”
His remarks kicked off a parliament session that’s convened for the first time since recent events put Singapore’s image for clean governance to the test. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will address lawmakers later on the scandals, that broke with Transport Minister S. Iswaran being arrested in the first graft probe involving a cabinet minister in nearly 40 years.
Officials have yet to spell out the scope of the corruption investigation, but the parliament queries for Wednesday have asked about the timeline for the probe’s disclosure. Opposition lawmakers are also asking if the government received any requests from the UK related to Formula One mogul Bernie Ecclestone’s alleged undisclosed assets of US$650 million ($869 million) in a Singapore bank.
The events have sent shockwaves through the People’s Action Party at a time when Lee is seeking to step aside after almost two decades leading the country. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is in line to take over from Lee, said in an interview with BBC Newsday the scandals are a “setback for the ruling party and the government.”
