TAN Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC), resigned on Monday (Jul 17) due to an “inappropriate relationship” with Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui.

Cheng also resigned from her post on the same day, and both of them have quit the People’s Action Party (PAP).

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in a press conference that it is “simply inappropriate to have a Speaker having a relationship with one of the MPs”.

Several other politicians have resigned in the past, following news of similar inappropriate relationships.

The result of these resignations has previously been by-elections. PM Lee said on Monday, however, that he has no plans to call an immediate general election, noting that the current government has just entered the second half of its term.

Here is a list of other politicians who vacated their seats, and what happened subsequently.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

Michael Palmer

Like Tan, Palmer was Speaker of Parliament when he resigned in December 2012 after news emerged of his extramarital affair with a People’s Association staff member who worked in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Palmer, who had just been appointed Speaker in 2011, was also MP for Punggol East. His resignation forced a by-election in 2013, which Lee Li Lian from the Workers’ Party (WP) won.

Yaw Shin Leong

WP expelled Yaw from the party in 2012 amid allegations that he was having an affair.

Yaw, who was treasurer of WP’s central executive committee, had won the single seat of Hougang in May 2011. His expulsion led to a by-election in 2012. The WP retained the seat after Png Eng Huat beat out the PAP’s Desmond Choo.

David Ong

Ong resigned as MP for Bukit Batok in 2016, citing “personal indiscretion”, after news of his extramarital affair with a grassroots activist in his ward.

Ong’s resignation also forced a by-election. The PAP’s Murali Pillai beat out the Singapore Democratic Party’s Chee Soon Juan to keep the seat for the ruling party.

What to look out for

WP on Monday said it is investigating a video clip suggesting an “inappropriate exchange” between senior party members Leon Perera and Nicole Seah.

The video clip, which went viral on social media, showed Perera, an MP for Aljunied GRC, dining with Seah, a candidate in the 2020 General Election, while holding and stroking her hands.

Both Perera and Seah are currently married – but not to each other – and sit on the WP’s central executive committee.