No exception could be made for Faishal over resignation, same standards apply to all PAP MPs: PM Wong
Mr Wong said he had tried “his very best” to see whether there was a way for Assoc Prof Faishal to continue in office, but concluded that this was no longer a private matter.
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SINGAPORE: No exception could be made for Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim despite his years of public service and the outpouring of support he received from the Malay-Muslim community, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday (Jul 22).
Assoc Prof Faishal resigned from politics on Monday after his interactions with a woman “fell short” of standards required of a political office holder and Member of Parliament.
Speaking at a press conference where he announced a Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Wong said the same process, standards and consequences would have applied if any other People’s Action Party (PAP) MP had been involved.
“If this matter had happened to any other MP in the PAP, we would have done the same thing. The same process, the same standards would apply, and the same consequences would have followed,” he said.
Mr Wong acknowledged that there may have been “a temptation” to make an exception for Assoc Prof Faishal, given his two decades of public service and the support he has received from Singaporeans, particularly the Malay-Muslim community.
“Under these circumstances, I fully recognise that there may be a temptation for us to see if we can make an exception for him. But I think doing so will only cause more damage and harm to Singapore,” he said.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam wrote that there was a series of online interactions between Assoc Prof Faishal and a woman, where his responses were “objectively, inappropriate and questionable”.
Assoc Prof Faishal had explained that he was worried the lady might react negatively if he “abruptly cut her off”, and the woman interpreted his interactions as engaging with her, Mr Shanmugam said, adding that she said “she was encouraged to continue”.
Mr Shanmugam noted that the woman escalated the matter when she emailed the prime minister and sent some of the messages and pictures and alleged harassment by Assoc Prof Faishal.
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Responding to questions about whether the consequences were too harsh, Mr Wong said during the press conference that Assoc Prof Faishal himself had concluded that it was “not tenable” for him to continue serving as a political office holder and MP.
“He also accepts that his responses, his interactions with her, objectively speaking, were questionable and inappropriate,” Mr Wong said. “That’s why he asked to step down.”
Mr Wong added that Assoc Prof Faishal had requested privacy for himself and his family, and that the government had sought to respect that request as much as possible.
The prime minister said he had tried “his very best” to see whether there was a way for Assoc Prof Faishal to continue in office, but concluded that this was no longer a private matter.
“A complaint has been made against him; it has entered the public arena, and that’s why we have to undertake this objectively, undergo a process where we listen to both parties, and we certainly took pains to listen to Faishal’s explanations as well,” he said.
“But after doing all that, we also have to look at the evidence and the facts.”
Mr Wong said it was clear that Assoc Prof Faishal’s conduct had fallen short of the standards that were expected of him, adding that he had asked several senior colleagues to independently review the evidence, and they reached the same conclusion.
“That’s why I agreed with his decision to resign. It’s the right course of action to take,” he said.
He also paid tribute to Assoc Prof Faishal’s contributions over two decades in public service, saying the incident did not diminish the work he had done for Singapore.
“I know it’s very difficult and painful to lose someone like Faishal. I fully understand that, and I fully understand also the outpouring of support and sympathy for him from Singaporeans and especially from the (Malay-Muslim) community,” he said.
“He has done good work wherever he went as MP and as office holder, and nothing that has happened, this incident does not in any way diminish the significant contributions he has made to Singapore over the past 20 years.”
CONTINUITY OF MALAY-MUSLIM LEADERSHIP
Addressing concerns about continuity in Malay-Muslim political leadership following Assoc Prof Faishal’s resignation, Mr Wong acknowledged that his departure was a setback.
“Faishal’s resignation is a setback. It’s a setback for me. It’s a setback for the government. It’s a setback for the community. It’s a setback for Singapore,” he said.
“We are very sorry that he has left, especially under these circumstances. But my assurance to the community is that the work continues.”
Mr Wong said advancing the aspirations and progress of the Malay-Muslim community remains a key priority for his government, and that initiatives that Assoc Prof Faishal worked on during his tenure as minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs would continue.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad has taken over from Assoc Prof Faishal as minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs.
“(Mr Zaqy Mohamad) together with the rest of the Malay-Muslim political office holders and MPs will continue their good work, working with the other Malay/Muslim leaders in the community.
“We will make sure that there is no pause, there is no break.”
He added that the government would work “doubly hard” to rebuild any confidence or trust that may have been impacted by the incident.
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Speaking on Wednesday during the press conference, Mr Zaqy, who has replaced Assoc Prof Faishal as acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs, paid tribute to his predecessor’s engagement with the community.
“(Assoc Prof Faishal) invested time to build genuine relationships, whether through formal platforms or informal platforms,” he said.
“I’ve seen also how much that mattered to the community, and it is something that I’m committed to working with the Malay MPs as well and other stakeholders to continue doing this close engagement and working sincerely on the ground.”
Recognising that this has been an emotional period for many in the Malay-Muslim community, he said that he understood that members of the public have questions and concerns about the future.
“I understand these sentiments and can assure the community that our commitment to the community remains unchanged,” he said.
“The partnerships that have always made our community strong will continue. We have capable institutions, dedicated volunteers, trusted religious leaders, as well as resilient families, and together, these are our most, our biggest strengths in our community.”
Over the coming weeks, Mr Zaqy said he would meet people from various segments of the community to better understand their concerns on the ground, and to work together on the opportunities and the challenges ahead.
“The work of serving our community has always been bigger than the minister alone. It is a shared responsibility, and I hope that we will all work together to journey ahead as one united community,” he added.
Source: CNA/vl(mi)
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