SINGAPORE – Political scandals are rare in Singapore. The city-state has long touted its clean government and incorruptible image to bolster its position as a leading financial center in Asia to attract foreign investors.
But the Southeast Asian nation is now stuck in one series of high-profile incidents which has entangled its political elite.
This is the “most severe crisis” facing Singapore, as recent events “have and could further erode public confidence and trust” in the government, Eugene Tan, associate professor of law at Singapore Management University.
“The ruling party now looks vulnerable like never before in recent memory,” he added. “Now he has a mountain to climb. How he recovers will be very important.”
In the latest blow, the political crisis deepened after the sudden resignations of two lawmakers, including the Speaker of Parliament, an affair this week. Both were members of the ruling People’s Action Party, which has ruled Singapore since 1959.
The revelation came just days after authorities said Cabinet Minister S. Iswaran had ia business leader in Singapore were involved a high-profile corruption investigation by the anti-graft agency.
Singapore’s prime minister said Tan Chuan Jin, the Speaker of Parliament, “needs to review” his “inappropriate relationship” with a fellow lawmaker.Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
“These are serious reputational hits for the PAP government which has long prided itself on governing with honesty, integrity and probity. In turn, Singapore’s reputation and reputation are also affected,” said Tan de SMU.
The series of events “coming in quick succession does affect the image of the ruling party,” said Tan Ern Ser, an associate professor of sociology at the National University of Singapore.
This is especially true given that “being clean is one of the key pillars of the PAP brand,” he added.
On Monday, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he decided that the Acting Speaker of the Singapore Parliament, Tan Chuan Jin, “had to go.
The decision came after he received information that Tan and another PAP lawmaker, Cheng Li Hui, had continued in their “inappropriate relationship” even after the prime minister advised them to end their relationship in February.
In Singapore, politicians are held to a much higher standard, as the ruling party’s “entire basis of its political legitimacy” has been based on “clean, uncorrupted governance,” SMU’s Tan told “Squawk Box Asia” by CNBC.
What the government is doing now is critical, he added.
“It must go beyond damage control to revamp or even purge the system of its inadequacies, blind spots and frailties,” Tan said. “This is the surest way to avoid withered trust and confidence.”
The prime minister’s office did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
“high morale”
Last week, Singapore’s Transport Minister S. Iswaran and prominent hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng were arrested before being released on bail in the country’s most serious corruption investigation in nearly four decades.
Both men are currently research assistantSingapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau revealed.
S. Iswaran, Singapore’s transport minister, has been arrested and released on bail in the country’s most serious corruption investigation in decades.Roslan Rahman / AFP – File Getty Images
Singapore government officials they are among the highest paid in the world as the country seeks to discourage corruption and attract the best talent. Ministers receive about 1.1 million Singapore dollars ($822,000) a year, according to website of the Public Service Division.
The political “drama” that has unfolded is “a real surprise, maybe a shock” to Singaporeans, said Felix Tan, an associate professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
Singaporeans, unaccustomed to political scandals, have taken to memes to express themselves. Discussions on social media and commentary in local media have also deepened the implications for the country.
While the latest series of incidents does not “portray a failure of the system”, it certainly acts as a “test for the government” to re-examine its own high standards, said NTU’s Tan.
When similar scandals occur in the opposition, “the PAP would take morale and insist that the opposition do the right thing,” the speaker said.
“And yet what these cases have shown is that the PAP is doing exactly the same things it urged others not to do,” he said, adding that the government must be “more transparent” in its dealings with the people
damage control
The corruption scandal followed public scrutiny over two other ministers who rented state-owned bungalows for their personal use. Questions were raised about whether they were paying less than market rates for the properties.
In June, a government review found no evidence of corruption or criminal wrongdoing in the matter.
“I think a lot depends on how the government deals with these consequences,” NUS’s Tan said. “I believe that the institutions of the state are still strong and the guardrails would be strengthened in the process of responding to these challenges.”
The prime minister quickly sought damage control, emphasizing the government’s zero tolerance for corruption to ease public concerns.
“No system can be completely foolproof,” Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this week.Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP via Getty Images
“High standards of rectitude and personal conduct, together with remaining clean and uncorrupted, are the fundamental reasons why Singaporeans trust and respect the PAP, and give us their mandate to form the government.” Lee said Monday.
But he also acknowledged“No system can be completely foolproof.”
“Sometimes things come together, but we make sure we put them right, and hopefully we can fix them and set the right tone for a long time,” Lee added.
Big political cost?
The political fallout comes at a delicate time for Singapore, which is navigating a complicated leadership transition. The prime minister is looking to hand over power to the next generation of leaders in the near future.
“The longer the delay, it will raise a lot of concerns about whether the next-generation leaders are ready,” said SMU’s Tan.
At this week’s briefing, Lee said he has no plans to call an immediate election, despite the vacant seats in Parliament. Singapore will hold presidential elections in the coming months and a general election is not expected until 2025.
“We are in the second half of the current government’s mandate, we just opened Parliament recently,” he said. “We have a full agenda for this mandate, we are working on it and that is what we will focus on.”
NUS’s Tan said that if an election were held now, “the negative impact on the PAP’s electoral performance would be significant”.
With the government facing pressures from “persistently high inflation”, including growing concerns about housing affordability, the ruling party must close ranks and “stay on track” to achieve “credible performance” , added.
While it is difficult to assess whether the scandals will hurt the ruling party and allow the opposition to enter, “there will certainly be a high political price to pay,” noted SMU’s Tan.
“How much is the political cost? We don’t know at this stage”, he added.
“At the very least, it might provoke the element of doubt. So voters might be more prepared to look at what other parties have to offer.”
Regaining people’s trust will be difficult for the government, he added. “Rebuilding trust is demanding. It will also take time, but there is not much time before the next general election”.
