Michael Palmer Was Last Speaker To Resign Due To Affair, PAP Lost Punggol East SMC In By-Election

Michael Palmer Resigned As MP & Speaker Of Parliament In 2012 Due To Affair

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this article mentioned that Mr Michael Palmer was the last MP to resign due to an affair. This is inaccurate as Bukit Batok MP David Ong did so in 2016. We have since amended the headline accordingly.

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The affair between former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and fellow PAP MP Cheng Li Hui is one of the hottest topics of late and has reminded many of a similar case more than 10 years ago that led to the resignation of then-Speaker Michael Palmer.

Like Mr Tan, Mr Palmer’s case emerged in the midst of a series of scandals involving other politicians like Workers’ Party (WP) MP Yaw Shin Leong, who also committed “personal indiscretions”.

Here’s what happened in the last extramarital affair incident that rocked Singapore politics.

Michael Palmer told PAP Chairman about affair himself

While the PAP got wind of Mr Tan and Ms Chen’s affair, news reports in 2012 stated that then-Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Teo Chee Hean only learnt about Mr Palmer’s transgression after the latter approached him.

What compelled Mr Palmer to come clean is unclear, but he apparently told Mr Teo on 8 Dec 2012. Having done that, Mr Palmer offered his resignation, which Mr Teo conveyed to Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong.

Both PM Lee and Mr Teo accepted the resignation, which they deemed was “the proper thing to do”, noted TODAY.

Within just a few days, the PAP held a press conference addressing Mr Palmer’s departure.

PAP swiftly addressed affair to the press

On 12 Dec 2012, the PAP held a press conference in which Mr Palmer announced his resignation as Member of Parliament and member of the PAP.

He also publicly admitted to an extramarital affair.

The then-44-year-old father of one said, “I have resigned to take full responsibility for a grave mistake that I have committed.”

My conduct was improper and it was a serious error of judgment. I have resigned in order to avoid further embarrassment to the PAP and to Parliament.

Mr Palmer disclosed that his relationship was with a People’s Association (PA) staff member working in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Though he was MP of Punggol East Single Member Constituency (SMC), he noted that his constituency was once part of Pasir Ris-Punggol and continued to work closely with them.

Mr Palmer emphasised that his actions never affected his duties, which he performed to the best of his abilities.

He apologised for letting Punggol East residents down, his family, as well as everyone who supported him.

The PA later confirmed that constituency director Laura Ong, of Pasir Ris West Constituency Office, had quit, reported The Straits Times.

She apparently tendered her resignation on 10 Dec due to “family commitments”.

PAP lost Punggol East seat to Workers’ Party

Between Mr Palmer’s confession on 8 Dec and the press conference on 12 Dec, the PAP made necessary arrangements to ensure that Punggol East residents were “taken care of”.

Mr Teo Ser Luck temporarily relieved Mr Palmer’s duties as MP, while Mr Zainal Sapari was appointed Chairman of Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council.

In Parliament, Mr Charles Chong became Acting Speaker till PM Lee nominated a new Speaker in the next session.

Less than a month later on 9 Jan 2013, PM Lee announced a by-election to nominate a new MP for Punggol East. Then-President Tony Tan issued the Writ of Election that same day.

Residents cast their votes on 26 Jan 2013, with the results released later that night, declaring WP’s victory.

WP’s Lee Li Lian triumphed over PAP’s Koh Poh Koon by a rather significant 3,170 votes.

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Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal.