SINGAPORE — Stepping out from a Meet-the-People session (MPS) at Chai Chee, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said on Monday night (July 17) that his priority was the well-being and care of the residents in Marine Parade GRC.

Mr Tong was standing in for former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who had resigned due to an affair with former Tampines Member of Parliament (MP) Cheng Li Hui.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had earlier said that Mr Tong would take care of Kembangan-Chai Chee residents in Marine Parade GRC, while Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli would do the same in the Tampines East ward in Tampines GRC.

“I think it's important that you have stability. And my colleagues and I will continue with the good work that's been done here,” said Mr Tong. “We will ensure that our priority is the well-being and care for the residents.”

There were a few residents being attended to at the Meet-the-People session at Blk 35 Chai Chee Avenue when Mr Tong stepped out at around 7.55pm. After making a brief statement, he declined to answer other questions from reporters and left quickly in a car.

The other MPs in Marine Parade GRC are Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman.

Meanwhile, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and the rest of the Tampines MPs, as well as Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary, were spotted coming out from a private meeting at the PCF Sparkletots Preschool location at Tampines West on Monday night.

Speaking to reporters before heading to his Meet-the-People session, Mr Masagos wanted to reassure residents that their needs would continue to be met. 

Fellow MP for Tampines GRC Mr Desmond Choo will replace Ms Cheng Li Hui as the chairman for Tampines Town Council, while Mr Baey Yam Keng will become vice-chairman of the town council. 

Dr Koh Poh Koon is the other Tampines GRC MP. 

“The Tampines team will continue to run and provide service to our residents without any change in the quality of the services. Town council will run the services as usual,” Mr Masagos said. 

“The grassroots will continue to run services to keep the community together, and of course, Our Tampines Hub will execute all the plans for our residents as we’ve done for the last few years. So it’s only the filling in and doubling up on the positions (that has changed).”  

Ms Cheng, who had been MP for Tampines since her political debut in 2015, said in her letter to the Prime Minister that she was "very sorry to be resigning in these circumstances".

“Li Hui has been serving our residents and we appreciate her helming the Tampines Town Council during her time with us,” wrote Mr Masagos in a Facebook post on Monday. 

Under the leadership of Mr Choo and Mr Baey, “the Town Council will continue to operate smoothly and uninterrupted”, he added.

“Tampines GRC residents can already visit or write to any of us if they need assistance.”

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he had spoken to Mr Tan about this relationship most recently in February. The latter admitted his mistake and offered his resignation at the time, which Mr Lee had accepted.

But Mr Lee had told Mr Tan, a former MP in Marine Parade, that he needed to first make sure the residents of Kembangan-Chai Chee and Marine Parade were continued to be taken care of. 

Asked if he had been aware of Ms Cheng’s impending resignation or if there had been a handover of her duties prior to Monday’s news, Mr Masagos said: “(We) couldn’t have (known)”.

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also weighed in on the resignations in a Facebook post on Monday night. He had been following the news while overseas for G20 meetings.

”I am saddened that they are leaving under these circumstances. But the PAP has and will always maintain stringent standards of propriety and conduct, while staying clean and incorrupt. These are foundational to the people’s trust in us,” he wrote.

”As PM Lee has stressed, our duty is to parliament and the people of Singapore, and that is paramount.” 

RESIDENTS REACT TO NEWS

Some Chai Chee residents CNA spoke to said they thought Mr Tan was a good MP and felt it was a pity that he had stepped down, but some said that it made no difference to them.

Ms Amelia Chua, 53, said she was sad to hear the news of his resignation as Mr Tan had helped her apply for welfare services and distributed rations and vouchers to her.

“I never thought he would make such a mistake,” she said. “To protect the country’s reputation, he should resign… I hope he can repent and make it up to his family.”

Long-time Chai Chee resident Tan Kin Por, 60, said he was shocked at the news of Mr Tan’s affair and resignation.

“It’s his personal matter… (but) it is morally wrong, he should take responsibility,” said the retiree in Mandarin. 

Meanwhile, a Tampines East resident who only wanted to be known as Mr Ariffin said he had not been aware of the incident before showing up to the Meet-the-People session — his first — on Monday night. 

He had hoped to seek help from Ms Cheng for “personal matters”. 

“To be blunt, personally, it doesn’t affect me,” said the 27-year-old student after reading an article about Ms Cheng and Mr Tan’s relationship.

“I was quite alien to the issue.” 

When CNA visited Ms Cheng’s Meet-the-People venue at 7.30pm, there were less than a handful of residents waiting in line. The doors were also shut for a private meeting. 

Mr Masagos was not present at the time. 

Mr Ariffin said that “hopefully nothing has changed” for residents like himself. 

“I believe PAP has (the) proper structure to replace any (MP in) unforeseen circumstances,” he added.

“I think it’s good that (Ms Cheng is) resigning. She’s taking responsibility for her actions. I’d view it in a good way; she’s taking measures against what has happened.” CNA