Lawrence Wong: We Do Not Police the Private Lives of Our MPs

SINGAPORE: In a July 26 interview with BBC Newsday, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong acknowledged that recent political scandals represent a setback for both the ruling party and the government. However, he emphasized the distinction between the corruption investigation involving Transport Minister S Iswaran and the extramarital affair scandal involving two Members of Parliament from the People’s Action Party, Mr. Tan Chuan Jin and Ms. Cheng Li Hui.

Responding to questions from the BBC regarding public transparency and accountability, Wong stated that “what matters more” is how the government reacts to such scandals. “We have sought to set things straight and do the right thing. We have been upfront about the cases; they will be investigated thoroughly, and we will provide a full accounting to the public as the investigation findings become available,” he said.

Wong also expressed understanding of the public frustration regarding the delay in disclosing Mr. Iswaran’s arrest, as well as the timeline surrounding the affair, which PM Lee had been aware of for some time. Wong clarified that these matters are unrelated.

When pressed by the BBC on why the Speaker of Parliament was allowed to continue in his role despite the known affair, Wong stated, “With corruption and criminal wrongdoing, we have zero tolerance. When it comes to conduct, you have to exercise judgment. To be clear, we set high standards for propriety and personal conduct, but in dealing with such cases—cases of human frailties—we must also be very cognizant of the impact that our actions have on innocent parties, including families, especially spouses and children. We do not police the private lives of all our MPs.”

The interview can be viewed here, and the full transcript is available here.