Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong vowed to protect the integrity of governance, fighting back opposition questions following a series of scandals that have put his party’s reputation to the test.
(Bloomberg) — Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong vowed to protect the integrity of governance, fighting back opposition questions following a series of scandals that have put his party’s reputation to the test.
Lee said in parliament on Wednesday that the government will carry through what needs to be done in accordance with the law even if they may be politically embarrassing and painful to the party.
“I will not flinch or hesitate to do my duty, to keep our system robust and clean,” Lee said in the first parliament session that’s convened since recent scandals broke. He was challenged by Pritam Singh, the leader of the opposition and Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party, who questioned the ruling party’s transparency with information over several events.
“The government has either been slow to clear the air or been less than upfront and forthright with Singaporeans when it had to deal with potentially embarrassing issues,” Singh said, following the prime minister’s statement.
The PAP has been hit by a series of controversies in recent weeks, sending shockwaves through the country at a time when Lee is seeking to step aside after almost two decades leading the country. Transport Minister S. Iswaran was arrested in a graft probe, while two lawmakers unexpectedly resigned over an affair.
“Systems are composed of human beings,” Lee said. “In any system, however comprehensive the safeguards, sometimes something will still go wrong.”
When Iswaran was brought in by the anti-graft body and subsequently released on bail last month, the prime minister instructed him to take leave of absence until the investigations were completed. Iswaran’s pay was subsequently cut to S$8,500 ($6,300) per month until further notice, the premier said.
That’s an 82% cut from the lower-end of the base ministerial salary of S$46,750 in Singapore, where political leaders are among the best paid in the world.
Read more: Scandals Taint Singapore’s Image, Complicating Succession
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is also the Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, stressed in parliament the independence of the investigating body that reports directly to the prime minister. Chan laid out the rules for the civil service on accepting gifts and hospitality, designed to maintain incorruptibility and prevent officers from becoming beholden to any person or organization.
Officials have yet to spell out the scope of the corruption investigation, but the parliament queries have asked about the timeline for the probe’s disclosure. Opposition lawmakers are also asking if the government received any requests from the UK related to Formula One mogul Bernie Ecclestone’s alleged undisclosed assets of $650 million in a Singapore bank.
Alongside Iswaran, property billionaire Ong Beng Seng was also arrested and subsequently released on bail. Iswaran and Ong, 77, would have interacted over the years as a matter of course, with the minister’s roles in trade and transport intersecting with the tycoon known for helping bring the F1 Grand Prix to Singapore.
(Updates with quotes and context throughout)
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