No Action To Be Taken Against Leong Mun Wai After Apology, MPs Reminded Of Proper Conduct

Parliament Will Not Take Further Action Against Leong Mun Wai After Apology & Withdrawal Of Statements

Back in March, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai came under fire for his remarks towards Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and his heated exchange with Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam.

He also posted statements casting aspersions on ministers, which he later took down.

On Tuesday (18 Apr), Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said there would be no further action against him due to his apology and withdrawal of his statements.

No further action against Leong Mun Wai

The Straits Times (ST) reported that on Tuesday (18 Apr), Ms Indranee stated that action was originally considered against Mr Leong for his breach of parliamentary procedures and rules.

This was due to his “disrespectful” remarks towards Mr Tan on 22 Mar. During that session, Mr Leong told him,

If minister didn’t ask me, I suggest you don’t ask me.

Ms Indranee said that this “disregarded the authority of the chair”.

However, he has since apologised and also took down his statements on Facebook, putting up an additional post clarifying the matter.

As such, Ms Indranee said it did not appear that there was a need to take further action.

MPs reminded of proper Parliamentary conduct

Ahead of the second session of Parliament, Ms Indranee also took the opportunity to remind MPs of the proper conduct within and outside Parliament.

She distributed copies highlighting the more vital rules, which Mr Tan said he hoped everyone would read carefully.

These rules included the following:

• Respecting the chair’s authority and not making unsubstantiated allegations
• Refraining from making statements outside Parliament that contain false reports or that falsely or scandalously defame the proceedings or the character of Parliament
• Refraining from making statements outside Parliament that reflect on the character of the Speaker or member fulfilling parliamentary duties or roles

“I hope that by reading, understanding, and observing these rules, we can avoid a repeat of the incidents which occurred in the last session,” she said.

Ms Indranee added that the rules do not inhibit robust debate. Instead, they ensure that the focus remains on MPs making valid points.

“Making false or unsubstantiated statements or casting baseless aspersions only serves to erode trust and undermine our democracy,” she stated.

Tan Chuan-Jin addresses issue of conduct

Mr Tan also addressed the matter, stating that he appreciates it when views are passionately expressed.

However, he hopes that members of the House would respect the chair and fellow members, and refrain from acting like only their views matter.

“If everyone decides to insist on their own way, this will become a chaotic space, like we see elsewhere,” he warned.

Mr Tan went on to note that he has sometimes been permissive in order to facilitate the flow of debate. However, he has always encouraged members to issue their remarks and requests to each other through the chair.

For future sessions, members should refrain from addressing each other or those of the public directly.

He added,

While it may not make for a good show or theatre, this practice helps us all to remain cool, good-tempered, and moderate during a debate.

Mr Tan further stated that he expects MPs to continue a robust debate of all issues and keep up thorough scrutiny of policies and programmes.

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Featured image adapted from MCI Singapore on YouTube.