BT Explains: Who is ex-PAP MP Cheng Li Hui, and why did she resign?
Ng Wei Kai &
Jeanette Tan
SPEAKER of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui on Monday (Jul 17) resigned from their positions and from the People’s Action Party because of an “inappropriate relationship” they had with each other.
Plenty is known about the former, who has headed two ministries and was even regarded at one point as being among the candidates in the running to become the next prime minister.
Cheng, on the other hand, has been a backbencher since she entered politics in 2015, and has not been an office-holder.
Here’s the lowdown on the 47-year-old, who was the only female MP in the five-member Tampines GRC.
Why did Cheng resign from the PAP?
Cheng was found to have had an “inappropriate relationship” with Tan. At a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed that he first learned of their relationship as early as after the last general election, which was held in July 2020.
PM Lee said: “I do not know when it began, but they were spoken to, counselled. Unfortunately, the matter didn’t close and so it came to the hard conversation we had in February this year.”
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He also said he spoke to Tan about this relationship in February this year. Tan admitted his wrongdoing and offered his resignation, which PM Lee accepted. However, Tan was told to wait until handover arrangements were in place to ensure residents in Marine Parade GRC would be taken care of.
This process was ongoing until Tan’s parliamentary hot-mic moment came to light about a week ago, following which PM Lee decided Tan’s departure could not wait any longer.
In her letter of resignation to PM Lee on Monday, Cheng said: “I am very sorry to be resigning in these circumstances and would like to apologise to the party, as well as to my residents and volunteers.”
She did not make any explicit reference to her relationship with Tan in the letter.
Is she married?
No, she is single.
How long has she been an MP?
Close to eight years. She was introduced as a PAP candidate in August 2015 – a month before the general election that year – and was reported to have been volunteering in Bukit Panjang and Sembawang constituencies in the 12 years prior.
In early 2015, she started volunteering in the Tampines East ward, which is under Tampines GRC. The GRC’s anchor minister at the time, Mah Bow Tan, described Cheng as a “quiet individual who gets things done”.
What positions was she holding before she resigned?
She was the chairman of Tampines Town Council, as well as MP for Tampines GRC in the Tampines East ward.
In the 13th Parliament, she was a member of the Estimates Committee for its first and second sessions. She was also a member of the House Committee in the 14th Parliament’s first session.
She was also appointed deputy district adviser in the PAP Women’s Wing in 2016.
What is her background?
Cheng was born in 1976. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the National University of Singapore and a Masters in Applied Finance from Macquarie University in Australia.
In the private sector, she was the deputy CEO of Hai Leck Holdings, an engineering company serving the oil and gas and petrochemical industries. Her father is Cheng Buck Poh, the company’s founder, executive chairman and CEO.
She was re-designated as a non-executive director in Jan 2018, according to Hai Leck’s financial statements. She retired from this position in late 2019.
Her siblings – Cheng Wee Ling, Cheng Li Chen and Cheng Yao Tong – still hold positions in Hai Leck and a subsidiary, according to 2022 financial statements.
Hai Leck was established in 1975 and has around 2,000 employees.
Cheng also sits on the board of supermarket chain Sheng Siong.
She was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2013, as well as a long service award from the People’s Association.
Where is her constituency, and who will take over residents she is serving?
Cheng was MP for Tampines GRC, serving in the Tampines East ward.
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli is in charge of Tampines West, while Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and Environment and Manpower Koh Poh Koon is in charge of Tampines Central.
Mayor for North East District Desmond Choo is the MP for Tampines Changkat, while Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Environment and Transport Baey Yam Keng is in charge of Tampines North.
Masagos will take over Cheng’s duties as MP.
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