SINGAPORE — Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh stressed the importance of maintaining party standards and discipline so as to advance the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans, even if it means losing a “highly effective” Member of Parliament (MP) such as Leon Perera.

Mr Singh was speaking to the media on Wednesday (July 19) at the WP headquarters, where he announced that Mr Perera had resigned from the party and as an MP over his affair with fellow party member Nicole Seah.

The affair between Ms Seah — who has also resigned from the party — and Mr Perera was made public when a video of them dining in a restaurant and holding hands surfaced online earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Mr Pritam remarked that he was “not shy” to acknowledge Mr Perera’s effectiveness in Parliament and on the ground.

“The Workers' Party in Parliament will lose an important member of our team,” he said.

“But there are other things that we cannot ignore. And standards that have to be kept and party discipline is incredibly important if you want to be a serious party in advancing the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans.”

LOSING 3 OF 21 CANDIDATES FIELDED

TODAY asked Mr Singh if the People's Action Party's (PAP) handling of the affair between former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and ex-MP Cheng Li hui had any bearing on how WP handled the affair between Mr Perera and Ms Seah.

In response, Mr Singh said that he would have recommended that Mr Perera be expelled even if he had not offered his resignation.

In the case of Mr Tan, he offered his resignation to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in February this year.

Mr Singh added that beyond the question of the affair itself, Mr Perera had not been truthful with the party leaders when they queried him about the matter when accusations about the relationship arose sometime around late 2020 and early 2021.

“The party has an article in its constitution that it holds very, very close to its heart. And that is of being frank and honest… in your dealings with the party and the people of Singapore,” he said.

“And if you fall foul of that, then the consequences are severe.”

With the latest resignations, WP has lost three of the candidates it fielded at the 2020 General Election, including former Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) MP Raeesah Khan who resigned in November 2021.

Asked if he thinks that the party's screening process is “flawed” and whether it would be fielding fewer candidates at the next election, Mr Singh said it was premature to comment on matters concerning the next polls.

“But in terms of screening processes, we try our best to put candidates forward. Candidates who can represent Singapore and Singaporeans well,” he said, adding that this was something the party has consistently done and tried to do.

Mr Singh added that decisions are made “at the material time” when fielding candidates, with the party trying its best to find out as much as possible about the individuals, though this is no guarantee on how these candidates will behave subsequently.

Mr Singh said Parliament is the "important forum" for the WP to gain the trust of Singaporeans, in response to a question on how the party intends to do so after losing two MPs in recent times.

"I think Singaporeans expect the Workers' Party to hold the Government to account to make sure that we don't have a one-party dominant state...  overwhelmingly in the hands of the PAP."

"And we have to continue to work hard to encourage and persuade good Singaporeans to come forward and be part of a balancing force, which is in Singapore’s interest."

Pressed again on how WP will build up confidence among Singaporeans heading towards the next election, Mr Singh said that the search for candidates will always be an ongoing process.

The party already has people walking and working the ground, he added.

“I hope that more than a few of them will be prepared to stand for WP in the GE whenever it’s called.”

SERANGOON RESIDENTS WILL BE 'WELL CARED FOR'

Mr Perera was MP for the Serangoon ward under Aljunied GRC before his resignation.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, WP chair and fellow Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim assured residents of Serangoon that the party will “use its best efforts” to make sure that residents are well cared for.

“I myself am familiar with the ground in Serangoon, having been MP there for nine years prior to my current assignment,” said Ms Lim, who oversees the GRC's Paya Lebar division.

She said that the Meet-the-People sessions in Serangoon will continue as per normal, with other Aljunied MPs already being rostered to cover the sessions until the end of the year.

The MPs will be meeting with the Serangoon ward team of volunteers “shortly” to work out other duties and groundwork, she added.

“Aljunied GRC MPs are collectively responsible for all the residents of Aljunied GRC, including those living in Serangoon division,” she said.