Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) has resolved that Workers’ Party Members of Parliament, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang do not need to recuse themselves from all matters relating to, and oversight over, financial matters of the town council.
This decision was made during the Workers’ Party-run town council’s quarterly meeting and announced on Saturday evening by AHTC chairman, Mr Faisal Manap.
A discussion was said to have been held over the recent motion passed in the People’s Action Party majority Parliament on 5 Nov, calling upon AHTC to discharge its responsibility by requiring Ms Lim and Mr Low to recuse themselves from all matters relating to, and oversight over, financial matters of AHTC
The resolution was passed by way of a secret vote. The Council voted 17 to 1 against the recusal.
Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang were noted to be both absent from the meeting.
Deputy Prime Minister had raised the motion in light of the recent judgment by the High Court which stated that Lim and Low as town councillors had acted in breach of their fiduciary duties to AHTC.
Ms Lim asserted during the debates on 5 Nov that DPM Heng had acted “prematurely” in his decision to file the motion and called upon the House to reject it.
Mr Singh concurred with Ms Lim, and said that there is “no reason for Parliament to be prematurely hijacked as a substitute for the judicial process”.
Ms Lim, Mr Singh and Mr Low have since appealed against the High Court judgement.
