Singapore opposition parties urged Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday to call a by-election after the parliamentary speaker abruptly resigned due to an extramarital affair.
The calls came less than 24 hours after Michael Palmer, 44, publicly confessed and announced his resignation from his parliamentary seat and membership of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Confessing to “a serious error of judgment”, the married father of one – who was only sworn in as speaker in October last year – said he quit “to avoid further embarrassment to the PAP and to Parliament”.
Local dailies on Thursday splashed pictures of Laura Ong, a 33-year-old married community worker identified as Palmer’s lover, in the latest sex scandal to hit the city-state.
The resurgent political opposition immediately urged Premier Lee to call a by-election to fill Palmer’s seat in the Punggol East ward.
“We strongly urge the Prime Minister to call for a by-election as soon as possible, to ensure that the constituents of Punggol East are democratically represented hereafter,” Singapore People’s Party chairman Lina Chiam said in a statement.