4 Times Leon Perera Was A ‘Steadfast Opposition Voice’ In Parliament, As Described By Pritam Singh

4 Leon Perera Moments In Parliament Before His Resignation

On 19 July, Mr Leon Perera resigned from the Workers’ Party after admitting to having an affair with Ms Nicole Seah.

The 53-year-old has also submitted his resignation as a Member of Parliament to the Acting Speaker.

Mr Perera was first elected as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) in 2015.

Since 2020, he has been an active MP with sharp remarks and eloquent speeches.

Here are four of his memorable moments in the House.

1. Leon Perera called for honesty in political debates, not “flashy soundbites”

In April, Mr Perera made an impassioned speech in his rebuttal to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong.

DPM Wong remarked that the opposition should offer concrete policy ideas.

In response, Mr Perera asserted that the opposition has been doing this.

@todayonline Workers’ Party’s Leon Perera rebutted Deputy PM Lawrence Wong’s comments made in Parliament about the Opposition putting forth populist ideas instead of offering concrete alternative policy ideas. #sgnews #singapore #sgtiktok ♬ original sound – TODAYOnline

“We offer policy ideas that differ substantially from the PAP,” he said.

“For example, on slowing reserves growth to enhance liveability, social justice and social mobility.”

After listing the various policies the opposition has made in the past, Mr Perera addressed Madam Deputy Speaker and said:

Let us be honest in our political debates. Honest. Not going for false, flashy soundbites that smear our opponents that the media then viralise with huge headlines. I don’t want my children to grow up in a post truth society.

2. Asked pertinent questions about Ridout Road saga

Mr Perera was also vocal in Parliament regarding the Ridout Road saga involving Mr Shanmugam and Dr Balakrishnan.

Speaking about the ministers’ conduct in this case, he asked:

Why was that determination [of their conduct] not passed to an independent third party to make?

Mr Perera then listed the Auditor General’s office or an independent judge as examples.

@thehammertok Questions by WP MPs on Ridout Road-MP Leon Perera #wpsg #sgparliament #sgnews #ridout #leonperera ♬ original sound – The Workers’ Party 🔨

At the time, Senior Minister (SM) Teo Chee Hean had determined the conduct of the ministers in the case.

Additionally, Mr Perera pointed out that an independent entity “would go some way to address some of these public concerns”.

He also brought up the two times the Auditor General had been asked to do a “special audit in the last 20 years”.

3. Asked the Speaker what if he were born a minority

When the debate about repealing 377A happened, Mr Perera said in Parliament that he supported the repeal.

He began his speech by asking the Speaker:

What if you were born into a world where your actions mark you out as being a minority because most people don’t want to do what you do?

Mr Perera stated that “the law has no place to intervene in private behaviour among truly consenting adults, provided there is no other public consequence thrown up”.

He then acknowledged that many, including his constituents, believe repealing 377A will have negative repercussions.

However, Mr Perera argued that as a “symbolic marker”, 377A is “unnecessary” in Singapore’s body of laws.

He noted that conversation about symbolic markers “can and should continue completely independently of the law and criminal penalties”.

4. Leon Perera soft-spoken but candid in Parliament

While Mr Perera has been passionate in his parliament speeches, he’s maintained a level of respect and decorum in the House.

Although, some may say that he may be too soft-spoken at times.

In a Parliamentary session in April this year, Mr Perera was asked to “speak a little bit louder”.

He quickly responded with a humorous remark, rarely seen in Parliament.

Mr Perera already seemed self-aware of his soft-spoken trait and said:

Thank you, yes, I have a very soft voice. I get that from my father.

Leon Perera debuted during the 2015 General Elections

When Mr Perera joined the 2015 General Elections as a Workers’ Party (WP), he urged voters not to see themselves “just as happy consumers” of the state’s services.

The fight for East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) was a close one, with WP winning 39% of the constituents.

However, the slim margin meant Mr Perera qualified to be an NCMP, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

He also held multiple positions within the party, such as the chief of the youth wing and a member of the Central Executive Committee.

Mr Perera then became a full-fledged MP in 2020 when WP won Aljunied GRC.

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Featured image adapted from The Workers’ Party on Facebook and CNA on YouTube.