Singapore’s political landscape is in bad shape following a scandal involving two prominent politicians, Cheng Li Hui and Tan Chuan-Jin. The extramarital affair between Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui has led to their resignation from parliament and the People’s Action Party (PAP). Let’s take a look at a comprehensive timeline of events leading up to their resignations, along with an overview of their political careers.
The Singapore politicians’ affair and resignation
Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui decided to resign from their parliamentary positions and the PAP after their affair became public. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced their resignations on Monday, July 17, without explicitly mentioning the reasons behind the decision.
However, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong later revealed in a press conference that the two politicians had engaged in an inappropriate relationship and had ignored repeated warnings to end it.
According to PM Lee, he was made aware of the affair in 2020 and had already spoken to Tan and Cheng. He even provided counseling in an attempt to resolve the situation. However, the affair persisted and inevitably led to their resignations.
wtf is happening with sg politics 😭 how did we get that workers’ party inappropriate relationship thing and tan chuan jin’s resignation in one day
— a (@haobxns) July 17, 2023
54-year-old Tan Chuan-Jin is married and has two children, while 47-year-old Cheng Li Hui is unmarried. They expressed regret in their resignation letters and acknowledged the pain he caused their families and party members.
Timeline of events
In order to understand how the affair unfolded between Cheng Li Hui and Tan Chuan-Jin, let’s explore the timeline of events leading up to their resignations:
- After the 2020 General Election: PM Lee became aware of the relationship between Tan and Cheng. They were both spoken to and offered counseling.
- February 2023: PM Lee had another conversation with Tan, who admitted the wrongdoing and tendered his resignation. However, PM Lee delayed his departure to ensure proper care for his constituents and demanded an end to the affair. Cheng was also engaged in a discussion regarding the relationship.
nah imagine being tan chuan jin's wife and finding out about your husband's affair in such a public manner + realising that the PM had knowledge about it for 3 years.
— (❁´◡`❁) (@dumbleadore) July 17, 2023
- April 2023: Tan’s use of unparliamentary language during a session went unnoticed until July 10 and 11, when it surfaced in a Reddit thread. Tan apologized for his language.
- July 17: Resignations of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui were announced. PM Lee revealed that he had recently discovered new information indicating that the affair had continued despite Tan’s assurance of ending it. This discovery led to the decision to accept their resignations.
Who are Cheng Li Hui and Tan Chuan-Jin?
MP Cheng Li Hui has been serving as the representative for Tampines GRC since her political debut in 2015. Her voluntary work in the community began in 2003 before transitioning into a political career.
Throughout her tenure, Cheng has been vocal about issues like active aging, better support for older people, and enhanced community-based support for children from lower-income families.
Tan Chuan-Jin has served as the Speaker of Parliament since 2017. He entered politics in 2011 as part of a five-member PAP team contesting Marine Parade GRC.
Prior to his role as Speaker, he held positions as the Minister for Manpower (2014-2015) and the Minister for Social and Family Development (2015-2017).
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