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Ex-MP David Ong sends personal letters to apologise to Bukit Batok residents

SINGAPORE — Mr David Ong, the former Bukit Batok Member of Parliament who resigned abruptly last month amid reports of an extramarital affair with a grassroots volunteer, has sent personal letters to residents to apologise for not completing his term.

Former Bukit Batok MP David Ong has sent a personal letter to residents to apologise for not completing his term. Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao first reported the news on Wednesday night.

Former Bukit Batok MP David Ong has sent a personal letter to residents to apologise for not completing his term. Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao first reported the news on Wednesday night.

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SINGAPORE — Mr David Ong, the former Bukit Batok Member of Parliament who resigned abruptly last month amid reports of an extramarital affair with a grassroots volunteer, has sent personal letters to residents to apologise for not completing his term.

In the undated letter, Mr Ong wrote: "I made a serious error of judgement in my personal life, leading to my resignation as MP. I am deeply sorry for having let you down, and for not being able to serve you for the full term that you elected me for."

When contacted by TODAY on Thursday, Mr Ong, 54, confirmed that he had sent the letters to Bukit Batok residents but did not elaborate. Multiple reports have linked his resignation to an extramarital affair with Ms Wendy Lim, 41, a logistics executive who also actively helped Mr Ong during last year's General Election.

Mr Ong and Ms Lim have both resigned from the People's Action Party as a result of the scandal. In his letter to Bukit Batok residents, the former MP wrote that he wanted to communicate with them directly despite having apologised when he formally resigned on March 12.

"I want to thank you for your friendship and for giving me the privilege of serving you as your MP over the last six years," he added. "I am grateful also to all those who have stood by me during the recent difficulties, especially my wife and family."

Mr Ong won Bukit Batok with 73.02 per cent of the vote in last year’s election, beating out the Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) Sadasivam Veriyah, who got 26.4 per cent of the vote, and independent candidate Samir Salim Neji, who received just 0.6 per cent of the vote.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that a by-election would be held "in due course", though no date has been announced. Two candidates are actively vying for the single member ward - lawyer and long-time activist Murali Pillai from the PAP, and SDP chief Chee Soon Juan. It is unclear if Mr Samir intends to contest the by-election despite earlier suggestions that he would throw his hat into the ring.

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