WP could have probed deeper and earlier into Leon Perera-Nicole Seah affair, but impact on party limited: Analysts
SINGAPORE — While the Workers' Party (WP) acted quickly to address a video showing an "inappropriate exchange" between senior members Leon Perera and Nicole Seah, analysts question if more could have been done when the opposition party's leaders were first tipped off about their affair back in 2021.

Leader of the Opposition Mr Pritam Singh (left) and chairwoman of the Worker's Party Ms Sylvia Lim (right) addressing the media at the Worker's Party HQ on July 19, 2023.
SINGAPORE — While the Workers' Party (WP) acted quickly to address a video showing an "inappropriate exchange" between senior members Leon Perera and Nicole Seah, analysts question if more could have been done when the opposition party's leaders were first tipped off about their affair back in 2021.
The observers said both the WP and the ruling People's Action Party — which similarly had to deal with an affair between politicians made public this week — should have been more transparent from the onset.
Mr Perera — a Member of Parliament for Aljunied — and Ms Seah both resigned from the WP after admitting to their extramarital affair, which started after the 2020 General Election but "stopped some time ago", said secretary-general Pritam Singh on Wednesday (July 19).
Allegations of their entanglement first surfaced in 2021, when Mr Perera's personal driver brought it to the attention of several WP leaders. But both Mr Perera and Ms Seah lied and denied the affair then.
The matter only came up again two days ago, after a Facebook video emerged, showing Mr Perera dining with Ms Seah and caressing her hands.
Mr Singh said that was the first time party members had seen the video.
"Leon's conduct and not being truthful when asked by the party leadership about the allegations fell short of the standards expected of Workers' Party MPs. This is unacceptable," said the Leader of the Opposition.
Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University (SMU) told CNA that WP appeared to have acted “swiftly and decisively”, but there were still some questions left unanswered.
“Did they not ask or interview the driver or did they just whisk it away attributing it to an aggrieved ex-employee of Mr Perera? There was the denial initially from both Mr Perera and Ms Seah when the party enquired — could the party have probed further?” he asked.
“When Ms Seah informed her family earlier of the relationship, did she also inform the party? When did she inform her party? If she did inform her party, what did the party do? These, to me, are critical questions that could undercut whether the party did the right thing from the get-go.”
Political observer with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Felix Tan also questioned the steps taken by WP's leadership to ensure that the initial allegations were investigated thoroughly.
“There is a need to have some form of protocols, because how long did the investigation take? Was there an investigation? Or did they just take what (Mr Perera and Ms Seah) said?”
Analysts also contrasted the WP's approach with the PAP's handling of an "inappropriate relationship" between former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and ex-Tampines MP Cheng Li Hui. Both resigned from Parliament and their party on Monday.
Prime Minister and PAP secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong said the affair started similarly after GE2020. Then, he asked the two to break off their relationship but they did not.
Mr Tan in fact resigned in February this year, but Mr Lee said he held it off to ensure residents in his Marine Parade constituency would be taken care of.
Senior fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) Alan Chong said both WP and the PAP were “cleaning house” after being confronted with irrefutable evidence of scandals.
No one would openly declare romantic relations, he said.
“To be fair to both PM Lee and Pritam Singh, you don’t go after all these things, you let them play out until such time when it becomes obvious that inappropriate relationships have blossomed, then you take them down,” Dr Chong added.
“What can be done? When it comes to romances, you don’t have the certainty of straightforward corruption, until it becomes so obvious and irrefutable.”
'NOT CALAMITOUS' FOR WP
Analysts CNA spoke to said Mr Perera and Ms Seah’s resignations could affect WP’s recruitment of candidates ahead of the next General Election. But some also felt the damage to the party's overall reputation would be minimal.
Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore (NUS) noted that WP was not seriously affected by former party member and MP Yaw Shin Leong stepping down in 2012, also following an extramarital affair.
“It is a setback for the party's political ambitions but not calamitous for its branding as a credible alternative to the ruling party,” said Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore.
Mr Perera’s resignation does leave a seat open in Aljunied — a WP stronghold and Group Representation Constituency which it has held since 2011.
NTU’s Dr Tan pointed out that WP’s Aljunied team has also been plagued by the long-running Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) civil trial.
The party will now need to find candidates to replace not only Mr Perera but also the seat vacated by Ms Raeesah Khan over in Sengkang GRC.
Ms Khan resigned from the party and as MP in November 2021 after admitting to lying in parliament.
Dr Tan said the opposition would have to "step up their game to find credible people… who are willing to take up the roles and contest within the constituencies”.
Ms Seah’s departure has also reduced the chances of WP wresting East Coast GRC from the PAP, said Dr Izzuddin.
“She was WP's political trump card to connect with the younger voters and central to the party's ambitions to make further inroads into parliament by winning more electoral seats in the next General Election due (by) 2025,” he said.
Ms Nydia Ngiow, managing director for Bower Group Asia Singapore, said the opposition party was more “personality-driven” than the PAP, and would be affected by the loss of talent.
“Leon Perera has commanded respect for his persuasive oratorical abilities, while Nicole Seah has drawn younger voters due to her eloquent and down-to-earth personality,” she said.
“Depending on who eventually replaces them, their resignations may make it harder for the WP to attract new voters and portray themselves as a credible opposition party in time for the next elections.”
Ms Ngiow, however, pointed out that Ms Seah and Mr Perera’s affair paled in comparison to the “slew of issues facing the PAP”.
Besides Mr Tan and Ms Cheng’s affair and other recent controversies, Transport Minister S Iswaran is currently being investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.
BOTH PAP, WP 'NOT FORTHCOMING'
Analysts called for more transparency from political parties, in the wake of scandals that have plagued them in the past few weeks.
“The PAP has a slightly bigger burden to carry because it’s always said that ‘we are above board, we tolerate no scandals’,” said NUS' Assoc Prof Chong, noting that Mr Tan and Ms Cheng’s affair was not the PAP’s biggest challenge.
“With the WP, I think there are people out there willing to cut them some slack.”
Both the PAP and WP were “clearly not upfront from the beginning”, said NTU’s Dr Tan, adding that it “took them a while” to acknowledge the setbacks they were facing.
“Both were not forthcoming at the early stages, so I think to say whether one party is better at handling these particular cases, I don’t think there is any one that has done a decent enough job.”
Both the PAP and WP “must give a full account” of themselves, said SMU’s Assoc Prof Tan.
“The key is whether the public is persuaded that there has been full accountability and that appropriate action meted out swiftly and decisively.” CNA
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