Home News Low Thia Khiang: AHTC will decide on his and Sylvia Lim's future...
Low Thia Khiang: AHTC will decide on his and Sylvia Lim's future roles
As for what his political party (Workers' Party WP) would do in this regard, Low said, "I don't want to prejudge or anticipate what the town councillors will do. This... has nothing to do with WP. WP is a separate legal entity"
CORRECTION BYLINE Singapore's oppositon Workers Party chairman Sylvia Lim (R) and secretary general Low Thia Khiang (C) with their new members Chen Show Mao (2nd L), Pritam Singh (L) and Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manapat (2nd R) arrive at the nomination centre in Singapore on April 27, 2011. The campaign for Singapore's May 7 parliamentary elections kicked off April 27 with the opposition hoping for unprecedented gains amid voter gripes over living costs and foreign workers. AFP PHOTO (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP)
Singapore—On the matter of the future roles of Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim in the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), Mr Low said that this is for the AHTC to decide.
Additionally, he said he will not participate in voting, or even talking about this issue.
At present, Mr Low is a member of AHTC's estate and community-liaison committee as well as an elected member of the town council.
As for what his political party (Workers' Party WP) would do in this regard, he said, "I don't want to prejudge or anticipate what the town councillors will do. This… has nothing to do with WP. WP is a separate legal entity."
Regarding AHTC's upcoming decision about the next steps it needs to take, Mr Low stated he would recuse himself from taking part, saying, "I will recuse myself from participating in any discussion… (as well) as for the voting if there is a vote to be taken."
When asked if Ms Lim would likewise recuse herself from the discussions, Mr Low said he believed that she would do so, but that he could not speak for her, TODAY reports.
The press also inquired if Mr Low would still carry out his roles at AHTC should the town council say he does not need to recuse himself from his responsibilities there, the former WP leader replied that he would consider this after the decision has been made.
"Anyway, my role in the financial matters is very limited. I am only a member of the committee who looks at some projects and some of the approvals," TODAY reports him as saying.
He also mentioned that the chairman of the town council, Faisal Manap, who is also an Aljunied Group Representation Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), said the issue would be tabled in the next quarterly meeting of the town council, which is yet to be scheduled.
Mr Low made these remarks to members of the press on the sidelines of a meet-the-people session in Hougang on November 6, Wednesday.
On the previous day, a motion was moved in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, calling on AHTC to require Mr Low and Ms Lim to recuse themselves from the town council's financial matters.
The motion brought by DPM Heng, who is also Singapore's Finance Minister, would "affirm the vital importance of MPs maintaining high standards of integrity and accountability."
Mr Heng's motion came on the heels of the recently delivered verdict of High Court Judge Kannan Ramesh, wherein he called out Ms Lim and Mr Low for improper and dishonest conduct.
The Judge said that the WP MPs "acted dishonestly" and were "in breach of their fiduciary duties," which Mr Heng's motion reiterated, adding that Ms Lim and Mr Low's behavior "lacked integrity and candour".
The motion also said, "Ms Lim and Mr Low were fully aware that their conduct was of questionable legality," and asks the Members of Parliament to "affirm the vital importance of MPs maintaining high standards of integrity and accountability"./ TISG
Read related: "The two words that have defined this motion are hurried and premature" – WP MPs respond to DPM Heng's motion
"The two words that have defined this motion are hurried and premature" – WP MPs respond to DPM Heng's motion
AHTC
Low Thia Khiang
Sylvia Lim
Workers' Party