Commentary: Faishal Ibrahim’s resignation needs more transparency for proper closure

Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had not acted immediately to remove the ex-Speaker of Parliament after discovering an affair between the latter and another MP, Ms Cheng Li Hui. He had explained that by giving the matter some time, he had hoped to give them a softer exit, and save them and their families the pain and embarrassment they are suffering now.

“In retrospect, and certainly now, knowing how things eventually turned out, I agree. I should have forced the issue sooner,” Mr Lee said in August 2023. “I placed much weight on protecting their families – perhaps too much.”

In the case involving Assoc Prof Faishal, Mr Wong had pointed out that the fact that it was no longer a private matter had forced him to conclude there was no way for Assoc Prof Faisal to continue in office.

“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.”