2 Thursday, December 13 2012 ● THE NEW PAPER THE NEW PAPER ● Thursday, December 13 2012 3 NewsNews The Michael Palmer Affair Source. Messages. Scandal

Y FRIEND got a super scandal about issue needed to be escalated. a politician having an affair. Got He declined to speak to TNP and would only com- The woman in “M proof. You interested?” municate through SMS. This intriguing text message sent to The New “You recall ? We need good minis- the scandal Paper by a contact at 10.48am on Saturday was ters,” he wrote. the first hint of what unfolded yesterday. Mr Yaw, a former member of the Workers’ Party, REPORT: SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB and TNP immediately tried to find out more was the MP for before news of his alleged ELIZABETH LAW about what seemed like an explosive story. extramarital affairs caused his sacking earlier this year. [email protected] For the next hour, there was silence. As TNP was trying to verify the information given by SHOCK and surprise. Then a couple more messages arrived five the source, somewhere else in that same That was the reaction of someone minutes before noon from a source close to the day, Mr Palmer was coming clean to the People’s Ac- who knew Madam Laura Ong Hui Hoon woman linked to the scandal. tion Party (PAP). well. Madam Ong, 33, is the woman At noon, four e-mails with the header He met Deputy Prime Minister and “Michael Palmer” were sent to TNP. Attached involved with former Speaker of the said that “he would resign his positions”, the media was House Michael Palmer. to three of them were screengrabs of SMS and told in a press conference chaired by the DPM yester- e-mail exchanges allegedly between the politi- “How could it be, she’s such a day. soft-spoken person,” said the woman cian and the woman. When Mr Palmer apologised “for what he had Michael Palmer. Speaker of Parliament Madam Laura Ong who declined to be named. done”, Mr Teo told him to look after his family and to She described Madam Ong as a “filial since last year. Young, dashing politician. do what he could “to make up for the hurt he had This was a big story indeed. “Hello person who always cared for her caused them”. mother”. The messages, which seemed to have Words like “soft-spoken” and “kept to been sent to the woman’s smartphone, sug- Married darling... herself” were also used when she spoke gested an intimate relationship between the about Madam Ong. two, which included regular Monday meet- Mr Palmer, 44, has been married for 15 years to I love you Madam Ong was the former ings. Diane, 41, a former lawyer. They have a 10-year-old constituency director with the People’s One message reads: “Hello darling... I son. loads too. Association (PA) in Pasir Ris West love you loads. More than I sometimes He said he was having a relationship with a woman, Mr Michael Palmer Constituency Office. show... Sorry. Love love.” a People’s Association (PA) staff member working in TNP PICTURE: JONATHAN CHOO More than Records from the Registry of Another message says: “But you can’t the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. be accessed. Marriages showed that she got married in judge our relationship by just what hap- WHOIS MICHAEL The source told TNP they had been in a relationship At the PAP, the next two days were spent making March 2006. The New Paper understands pens on Monday.” I sometimes for more than a year. arrangements to ensure that the residents of Punggol that she met her husband at a One e-mail shows a forwarded mes- PALMER? The two did not work directly together. East would be taken care of. rollerblading school he runs. sage: “Your booking at Fairmont Singa- show... DPM Teo, who has worked closely with Mr Palmer MICHAEL Palmer, 44, was elected a Member of Then yesterday, things came to a head. pore.” for more than six years, assured him that arrangements Separated The last e-mail sent by the source Parliament (MP) for the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group First, Mr Palmer’s personal Facebook account was Sorry. Love would be made so the residents in his constituency Representation Constituency in the 2006 General deleted in the morning. Then his Facebook page and However, the couple separated about contained a picture of a Dior handbag would be looked after. that Mr Palmer purportedly gave the Election (GE). Twitter accounts also disappeared. love.” two years after marriage. Prime Minister was then informed. He served as the chairman of the Government At 9.33am, the PAP invited the media to a press TNP also understands that while woman. He agreed that Mr Palmer’s offer to resign was the Shortly after, the informant Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign conference by DPM Teo at 1.15pm. – One of the messages Madam Ong no longer lives with her proper thing to do. husband, she remains on cordial terms said in an SMS that the Affairs from 2008 to 2011, and as the chairman of Facing a roomful of reporters and cameras, a visibly By Saturday night, the source had also gone quiet. the Home Affairs and Law committee in 2011. tired and grave Mr Palmer, accompanied by a solemn with his family. On Sunday morning, PM Lee met Mr Palmer and At last year’s GE, Mr Palmer was elected as MP DPM Teo, announced his resignation. Checks showed that Madam Ong’s confirmed the decision to accept his resignation. for Punggol East, a Single Member Constituency, Reading from a written statement, he told the press 32-year-old husband is a director and Mr Lee also directed that the matter “be dealt with shareholder of five different companies. after defeating candidates from the Workers’ Party he had resigned “to avoid further embarrassment to the decisively and in an open way”. PAP and to Parliament”. He is also owns a company that deals Later that night, Mr Palmer’s Face- and the Singapore Democratic Alliance. with souvenirs. He was nominated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien He declined to take personal questions on his affair book account could no longer and how it had affected his family. The PA confirmed that Madam Ong Loong as Speaker of Parliament, and was elected to resigned from her position on Dec 10, the role by the House on Oct 10 last year, making In his letter to the PM, also dated yesterday, he tendered his resignation as MP and as a PAP member citing “family commitments”. him Singapore’s eighth Speaker. “The People’s Association has with immediate effect. A lawyer by training, Mr Palmer is also a partner accepted her resignation,” said the He said he took full responsibility for his “grave at law firm Harry Elias. spokesman. In a shock move yesterday, Continued on PAGE 4 Attempts to contact Madam Ong Speaker of the House PROOF: E-mails were sent to The New Paper with yesterday on her mobile phone went screengrabs of SMS and e-mail exchanges allegedly unanswered. Michael Palmer resigned as between Mr Michael Palmer and Madam Laura Ong. Member of Parliament for Punggol East after revealing he had an extramarital affair with a woman employee from the People’s Association working in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. The New Paper first caught wind of the affair last Saturday. JUDITH TAN ([email protected]) reports on how the scandal unfolded

TNP hotline: 1800-7 33 44 55 SMS/MMS: 94778899 Website: tnp.sg Email: [email protected] Fax: 6319 8266 To subscribe: 6388 3838 TNP ILLUSTRATION: CHNG CHOON HIONG 4 Thursday, December 13 2012 ● THE NEW PAPER THE NEW PAPER ● Thursday, December 13 2012 5 News The Michael Palmer Affair Appealto PAP was INDISCRETION: Mr Michael Palmer, seen here respect with his wife, Diane, announced his resignation as Speaker of the House and MP yesterday. TNP FILE PICTURE indiscretion is consistent with its stand on Mr Yaw’s privacy alleged affairs. WHATNOW? ‘swift and He said: “The PAP has indicated its zero-tolerance Who will replace Mr Michael stance and the expectations it has of its MPs. From PAGE 3 Palmer at Punggol East “I think the approach taken by the PAP suggests that constituency? mistake”. it is no less harsh on its own MPs, notwithstanding its Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said he has “My conduct was improper and it was a serious measured criticism.” asked Mr , Minister of State for Trade and error of judgment,” he wrote. Mr Goh thinks this scandal will affect PAP’s credibili- Industry and North East District Mayor, to oversee PM Lee accepted the resignation “with great sad- resolute’ ty. Punggol East constituency, which is a single-seat ness” yesterday. “It just shows that no party, even the ruling party, constituency. He said: “It is necessary that all PAP MPs and advis- with its mechanism in screening candidates, can be 100 Mr will be appointed as the new ers to grassroots organisations uphold the highest per cent sure of the good character of the candidates,” chairman of Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council. standards of personal conduct... and that the party be Political observers analyse he said. seen to hold its MPs and advisers to these standards.” Mr Palmer’s resignation Mr Goh said the “so-called myth” of the PAP’s brand Who will replace Mr Palmer as Mr Palmer also asked for his family to be spared the name and its ability to come up with decent candidates Speaker? publicity. has been “destroyed”. Deputy Speaker , who is the Acting “I humbly request that you be kind enough to re- REPORT: FOO JIE YING Prof Tan said: “Given that the party has always Speaker, will continue in this role. spect my family’s privacy during this difficult period,” [email protected] prided itself on its selection process, I think people will The Prime Minister will nominate a new Speaker he said. now probably scrutinise the candidates more closely HEN Mr Michael Palmer stepped down as the for Parliament’s consideration when it next meets. This appeal was repeated by both DPM Teo and PM than before.” Speaker of the House of Parliament and Mem- Lee. But he was quick to add that while party branding is W ber of Parliament yesterday, comparisons Will there be a by-election for DPM Teo told reporters that those involved “are important, most voters will ultimately vote for the indi- were drawn between him and former Workers’ Party Punggol East SMC? suffering much hurt from this episode”. vidual candidate, not the party. “They need time and space for the healing to take (WP) MP Yaw Shin Leong. In a post on his Facebook page yesterday evening, Dr Wong, however, felt that Mr Palmer’s affair PM Lee Hsien Loong said the Constitution does not place. I hope Singaporeans give them this time and Mr Palmer had admitted to an improper relation- his affair. cide quickly.” would have minimal or no impact on the PAP. require him to call a by-election within any fixed time space to do so, and that in time, they will rebuild their ship with a member of the People’s Association in Pasir Former National Solidarity Party secretary-general Law professor and political commentator Eugene Ris-Punggol GRC. Citing recent sex scandals, like former Central Nar- frame. lives,” he said. Goh Meng Seng compared Mr Yaw’s case to Mr Palm- Tan said the PAP has acted “swiftly and resolutely so This admission sparked an online furore. cotics Bureau director Ng Boon Gay’s case, he said the He said: “I will carefully consider whether to call a The PA identified the woman as Madam Laura Ong, er’s. one can’t really fault it on that score”. Mr Palmer became a frequent search term on the people are now used to such things. by-election in Punggol East and, if so, when. I assure constituency director of Pasir Ris West Constituency “The way you handle the problem reflects how you Mr Goh was impressed by Mr Palmer’s decision to Office, in a press statement last evening. Internet. On Twitter, his name has been used as a “They are just going to accept it. I doubt this scandal Singaporeans that I will make my decision based on are as a person. I think Mr Yaw’s way of handling come clean. It said she had tendered her resignation on Monday, hashtag for every tweet related to him. will affect them more than issues that will make a what is best for the constituents of Punggol East and matters was not very responsible,’ said Mr Goh, who “He apologised and admitted his mistake. That’s the citing family commitments. In February, WP expelled its MP for Hougang, Mr difference in their daily lives, like bus fares.” the country.” runs a blog called Singapore Alternatives. way to do it,” he said. Last night, Mr Palmer and his wife met grassroots Yaw Shin Leong, after he failed to account for his On Mr Palmer’s resignation in light of his affair, When former Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong was leaders and volunteers of the Punggol East ward. alleged extramarital affairs. At the press conference yesterday, DPM Teo said: Mistakes DPM Teo said at the press conference yesterday that expelled by the Workers’ Party (WP) and vacated his In a Facebook post, DPM Teo, who was also there The New Paper spoke to three political observers, “We try and do our best to choose people carefully and MPs are expected to “uphold their moral standards” seat in February, Hougang resident Vellama Marie with Mr Teo Ser Luck, said Mr Palmer had apologised who agreed that the People’s Action Party handled most selection systems will be foolproof, and some- Political observer Dr Wong Wee Nam said: “Every- and “have a duty to the public”. Muthu filed an application with the High Court for a to the grassroots members. Mr Palmer’s incident professionally. times problems will emerge, even many years after an body can make mistakes. (The PAP) should have been Mr Goh, however, felt that it may be no longer mandatory order for PM Lee to call a by-election “There were tears in many eyes as they wished When rumours of Mr Yaw’s alleged indiscretions appointment or selection. careful when they accused others of making mistakes.” realistic to expect perfect political candidates. within three months or within a “reasonable time” Michael and his family well,” he wrote. surfaced, WP remained silent. It was only weeks later “But I think the important thing to do is when such Prof Tan, who is also a Nominated Member of Parlia- “Adultery is quite common nowadays. Ultimately, deemed by the court. Mr Palmer did not respond to TNP’s requests yester- that Mr Yaw was expelled. an event... does occur or arise, we have to act properly ment, agreed, saying: “Both parties are going to be the candidates have to come from the same pool of She withdrew the application after PM Lee called day to comment on the SMS and e-mail exchanges. In Mr Palmer’s case, the PAP held a press confer- and that is the most important thing – to respond in the wary. No one can take a holier-than-thou attitude now. people that we live with in Singapore,” said Mr Goh. for a by-election to be held on May 26. Coincidentally, an American novelist named ence to announce his resignation four days after he told right manner, Everyone will be a lot more cautious.” “This is something for people to think about, whe- WP’s won the seat against the Michael Palmer released his new book this week. Its Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Teo Chee Hean about openly and de- Prof Tan felt that the PAP’s stand on Mr Palmer’s ther we really want perfection of character.” People’s Action Party’s . title – Political Suicide.

SEXSCANDALSIN 2012 THE Chinese character “se” means colour, but it can also doing anything wrong. exchange for favouring his student, Miss Darinne Ko Wen mean lust. On Monday, Lianhe Zaobao’s readers voted it as The trial has been adjourned and oral submissions are Hui, 23, in his assessment of her academic performance Opposition calls the word of the year, among others such as “change”, scheduled for next month before the court gives its verdict. between May and July 2010. He is also accused of having “reproach” and “home”. And they may be spot-on. sexual intercourse with her on two occasions. In the past year, Singapore has seen a number of WHO: Former Singapore Civil Defence Force commissioner TRIAL: Scheduled for Jan 10. for by-election high-profile scandals: Peter Benedict Lim Sin Pang. WORKERS’ PARTY (WP) REFORM PARTY (RP) Underage paid sex WHAT: Lim, 52, is accused of engaging in sex with In a statement yesterday, the WP noted that In a statement yesterday, RP’s Sex-for-contracts Ms Pang Chor Mui, in her 40s, at a carpark at Stadium WHO: Fifty-one men allegedly paid to have sex with a Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer had Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam urged WHO: Former CNB director Ng Boon Gay, 46 Walk on May 2, 2010, while she was the general manager 17-year-old prostitute. The men included Howard Shaw resigned from the People’s Action Party. the PM to call a by-election as soon as possible WHAT: Ng faces four charges of obtaining oral sex from of Nimrod Engineering. Nine other charges have been Chai Li, grandson of the founder of cinema giant Shaw It said that by virtue of Article 46 of the for Punggol East residents to be represented. former IT sales manager Cecilia Sue Siew Nang, 36, to stood down. Organisation, and entrepreneur Ban Yinh Jheow. Constitution, his parliamentary seat of Punggol He added that RP is “strongly considering further the interest of her companies between June and TRIAL: Scheduled for next month. WHAT: The 51 men were charged with having commercial December last year. sex with the girl between September 2010 and last East Single Member Constituency has become contesting” the seat if and when there is a TRIAL: Ms Sue testified in court in September that Ng had Sex-for-grades October, when she was below 18. She is now 19. vacant. by-election. forced her to give him oral sex in a car on four occasions. WHO: National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor TRIALS: The 11th accused, former Republic of Singapore For the residents of Punggol East to be The defence maintains they were in a consensual Tey Tsun Hang, 41 Navy captain Chan Wei Kiat, 27, was sentenced to properly represented, the WP urged the Prime relationship. Ng took the stand last month and denied WHAT: Tey allegedly obtained gifts and sexual favours in 11 weeks’ jail in October. Minister to call a by-election as soon as possible.