Just two days after he announced his stepping down from Ang Mo Kio GRC, four-term People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament, Inderjit Singh, has been chided for making the announcement on his Facebook page. (See here.)
Apparently, the PAP’s Organising Secretary, Ng Eng Hen, told Channel Newsasia that the way Mr Inderjit did it was not a very “dignified” way. (See here.)
“We want to handle the retirement of our MPs more smoothly and I would prefer a more deliberate and a dignified manner,” Mr Ng, who is also the Defence Minister, reportedly said.
And then in an apparent reference to Mr Inderjit, Mr Ng added:
“You can post your retirement on Facebook, but I think as an MP who has served 15, 20, even 30 years – that’s not the best way to do it.”
Many have taken this as a sign of in-fighting in the PAP.
The announcement by Mr Inderjit, who has served as an MP in the Prime Minister’s constituency since 1996, was met with surprise and appreciation for the many years of work he has put in as MP.
However, it looks like the leaders of his party do not share the same sentiments, at least not in how Mr Inderjit has apparently not let them break the news of his political retirement, which now seems to have irked the leaders.
Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the PAP secretary general and Mr Inderjit’s leader-MP in Ang Mo Kio, has not commented on the spat between his two colleagues so far.
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