Tan Chuan-Jin, Cheng Li Hui continued 'inappropriate relationship' even after being told to stop: PM Lee

SINGAPORE: Former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin had been in an “inappropriate relationship” with fellow People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui, which continued even after they were asked to stop, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Jul 17). 

Mr Tan and Ms Cheng resigned from parliament and the PAP earlier on Monday.

At a press conference held the same day, Mr Lee said he had spoken to Mr Tan about this relationship most recently in February. The latter admitted his mistake and offered his resignation at the time. 

Later, responding to a question on the timeline of the incident, Mr Lee said he was first alerted to the relationship between Mr Tan and Ms Cheng after the last general election in 2020.

"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."

After their conversation in February, Mr Lee had accepted Mr Tan’s resignation.

“But I told him, first, I needed to make sure the residents of Kembangan-Chai Chee and Marine Parade continued to be taken care of,” said Mr Lee. 

“Meanwhile his relationship with Ms Cheng had to stop.” 

But “very recently”, Mr Lee came across information that “strongly suggested” that Mr Tan and Ms Cheng’s relationship had continued. 

“I decided then that Mr Tan had to go forthwith, whether or not the arrangements were ready. It could not wait any longer.” 

Around the same time, the video clip of Mr Tan caught on a hot mic using unparliamentary language was circulating.

“I asked to see him," said Mr Lee. "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.” 

Their inappropriate relationship was a “more serious matter” than Mr Tan’s unparliamentary language because he was the Speaker of Parliament and Ms Cheng was a Member of Parliament, said the Prime Minister.

“There should not have been a relationship,” he added.

Ms Cheng had also been counselled by Mr Lee in February, but "nevertheless ... continued the relationship with Mr Tan".

When asked about why the relationship was allowed to go on after he found out about it after the 2020 general election, the Prime Minister said party members spoke to both Mr Tan and Ms Cheng from when they first learnt about it, until February this year.

"We hoped that they would put things right, but unfortunately they did not." 

Mr Lee said he would nominate a new Speaker and make a ministerial statement at the next parliament sitting on Aug 1.

In the meantime, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jessica Tan will be Acting Speaker.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong will oversee Kembangan-Chai Chee residents in Mr Tan's Marine Parade constituency, while Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli will take care of Ms Cheng's Tampines East residents, said Mr Lee. 

In his letter of resignation, Mr Tan said the incident involving his use of unparliamentary language in the House had added to the hurt he caused his family. 

"I have let them down," he wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister, dated Jul 17.

"There are areas where I have fallen short. I need to take responsibility for them and help heal my family. We need space to recover and work through the issues. I have discussed the matter with my wife and agreed I must step away from politics and devote myself to my family."

Mr Tan, 54, is married with two children while Ms Cheng, 47, is not married.

Ms Cheng, who had been MP for Tampines since her political debut in 2015, said in her letter to the Prime Minister that she was "very sorry to be resigning in these circumstances".

Mr Lee said at Monday's press conference that he was saddened "to discover that these two PAP MPs have fallen short of the high standard of propriety and personal conduct that we expect from all PAP MPs”.

“When such a situation arises, it is my duty as secretary general of the party to deal with them and put things right. This means to counsel, to correct, to admonish, and ultimately, if necessary, to remove the MP from the party and parliament," he said.

“It is painful to do this to our friends and comrades-in-arms, and it can also be politically embarrassing and costly. But the PAP has to maintain party discipline and standard of conduct. Our duty is to parliament and the people of Singapore, and that is paramount.”