Leon Perera and Nicole Seah
Two top members of Singapore’s biggest opposition party resigned over an affair, the city-state’s third political scandal in recent days, it was disclosed on Wednesday.
The announcement of the Workers’ Party (WP) resignations came two days after the speaker of parliament and a female MP from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) resigned for having an inappropriate relationship.
Pritam Singh, party chief, stated, “WP member of parliament Leon Perera, 53, and the party’s youth wing leader Nicole Seah, 36, resigned after a video showing them holding hands was released on social media”.
“Both of them admitted they had an affair”, Mr. Singh continued.
He went on to say, “The constitution of the Workers’ Party requires candidates to be honest and frank in their dealings with the party and the people of Singapore”.
They are both married and have children.
After making significant progress in the 2020 elections, the WP is now the largest opposition party in parliament.
However, the PAP, which has ruled Singapore since 1959, retains an overwhelming majority.
Mr. Singh stated that the affair began after the 2020 general election and that Perera’s driver told party members, however, both he and Ms. Seah denied it.
They were compelled to reveal they were in a relationship only after the footage was shared on social media on Monday.
“This is unacceptable”, Mr. Singh added.
It was the third political scandal in recent days to spice up Singapore’s typically dull political environment.
S. Iswaran, the Transport minister, was arrested last week in connection with a rare top-level corruption investigation that has also implicated a billionaire hotel tycoon.
Singapore’s anti-graft body has not revealed any specifics about the investigation into Mr. Iswaran, who was released on bail and ordered to leave the country.
To deter corruption, Singapore’s cabinet ministers are paid salaries comparable to the highest earners in the private sector.
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