SINGAPORE — Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC, Leon Perera, and the party’s Youth Wing President, Nicole Seah, have resigned from their positions in the party, as revealed by WP Secretary General Pritam Singh on Wednesday (19 Jul).
On Tuesday, Mr. Singh received Ms. Seah’s resignation letter from the party, followed by Mr. Perera’s resignation letter on Wednesday.
Additionally, Mr. Perera informed the Acting Speaker of Parliament of his decision to resign his seat from Parliament.
Mr Perera’s resignation letter
In his resignation letter, Mr. Perera deeply apologizes to the Workers’ Party and falling short of the expected standards, and not being forthcoming with information when the issue.
Dear Pritam,
Re: Letter of Resignation from The Workers’ Party
I hereby resign my membership of the Workers’ Party.
I have, earlier today, submitted to Acting Speaker my resignation as a Member of Parliament.
I apologise deeply to the Workers’ Party and my constituents in Aljunied GRC for falling short of the standards expected of me. I also apologise to the remarkable and committed volunteers in the Serangoon ward of Aljunied GRC and the Workers’ Party Media Team for letting them down. I thank the Workers’ Party and voters for giving me the privilege to serve.
I also apologise for not being forthcoming with information when this issue arose within the Party and I was asked about it some time back.
I hope to devote my time to my family in the weeks and months ahead, so as to address the hurt I have caused to them, which is my greatest regret. I hope that my family and I will be given the space to do that.
Best regards,
Leon Perera
WP Chief’s reply to Mr Perera
In response, Mr. Singh accepted Mr. Perera’s resignation and emphasized that the WP constitution mandates members to be honest and forthright in their dealings with the Party and the people of Singapore.
Mr Leon Perera,
Dear Leon,
I accept your letter of resignation from The Workers’ Party (WP) and decision to step down as a Member of Parliament (MP).
As you would know, any electoral victory by an opposition party in Singapore is hard won. It follows that there are significant expectations of WP MPs.
Our Party constitution requires that we are honest and frank in our dealings with the Party and the people of Singapore. You acknowledged that you fell short in this regard and offered your resignation.
In Parliament, you were a committed and dedicated MP, advocating in the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans. This aspect of your contribution will be missed by many. The loss of a steadfast opposition voice in these circumstances is particularly difficult for me, your colleagues in the WP, and beyond.
You have made an impact larger than your person in the WP. You lead the Party’s media team, and built up strong teams in the Serangoon ward of Aljunied GRC to look after the interests of residents.
Your resignation was deliberated by the Party Central Executive Committee (CEC). It was accepted, as the requirement to be frank and honest in our dealings with the Party and the people of Singapore is exacting and non-negotiable.
I thank you for your valued service to the Party and for being a part of the Aljunied GRC
team.
I wish you and your family well, and pray you will have space as a family to heal and come out stronger from this difficult moment.
Yours sincerely,
Pritam Singh Secretary-General
Ms Seah’s resignation letter to WP
Ms Nicole Seah, in his resignation letter from WP, acknowledged that his action “were selfish and reckless,” expresses deep regret for her personal misconduct and acknowledges the disappointment she caused to voters and party members while expressing her remorse for not being a better role model for Singaporean youth.
Dear Pritam,
I offer my resignation as a member of The Workers’ Party with immediate effect, owing to my personal misconduct with another member of the Party. I am grateful to the Party for the numerous opportunities and responsibilities given to me over the last few years, which I have carried out with fullest diligence. I am deeply sorry for bringing disrepute to the Party’s standing and the hard work of its members and volunteers.
My actions were selfish and reckless. In pursuing impropriety, I have caused grave disappointment to the voters of East Coast GRC, and a significant base of members and volunteers who have sacrificed their personal time and resources to support the extensive groundwork we have done over the last few years. I am deeply saddened with regret to leave my running mates Kenneth Foo and Abdul Shariff, alongside a group of dedicated members and volunteers who now face the herculean task of winning back the trust of the constituents, vote by vote.
I am also mindful that my public standing means I should have been a better role model towards younger Singaporeans and youth members of the Party. I am very sorry that I am unable to carry on the good work of engaging the youth. I am confident that the Youth Wing exco will continue to flourish with enthusiasm and pride in the events and initiatives they will create throughout the course of their term.
Finally, I apologise to my loved ones for any embarrassment this might have caused, in particular my husband and my mother. Throughout this episode, I would like to humbly request that the privacy of my family be respected, as we seek to move ahead.
Sincerely,
Nicole Seah
WP Chief’s response
In response to Ms Seah’s resignation, Mr Singh acknowledges her letter and the acknowledgment of falling short of party standards, and thanks her for her significant contributions to the party:
Ms Nicole Seah,
Dear Nicole,
I acknowledge your letter of resignation from The Workers’ Party (WP) dated 18 July 2023. You acknowledged therein that you fell short of the standards expected of the party.
Your resignation was deliberated by the Central Executive Committee the same evening. It was accepted as the requirement to be frank and honest in our dealings with the party and the people of Singapore is exacting and non-negotiable.
You made significant contributions to the WP. Your consistent commitment to the party’s outreach efforts in East Coast GRC after the 2020 General Elections was but one example of your dedication and willingness to work hard for the party’s cause. Your leadership of the WP Youth Wing was also greatly appreciated by the party.
I thank you for your valued service.
I was comforted to learn from you that you started the process of healing with your family last year. You have my full support in this regard, and I wish you all the very best in all your future endeavours.
Yours sincerely,
Pritam Singh Secretary-General
Both Mr Perera and Ms Seah were CEC members of Workers’ Party
Their decision was prompted by a video that surfaced on social media on the same day (17 Jul) as the announcement of Tan Chuan Jin and Cheng Li Hui’s affair by PM Lee Hsien Loong.
The video showed shows Perera (53) and Seah (37) in a restaurant, with the former appearing to caress the latter’s hand.
Some sources have suggested that the video was taken two years ago.
The Workers’ Party confirmed on Monday to look into the matter and the Central Executive Committee convened an emergency meeting that night.
Mr Perera and Ms Seah are CEC members of the Workers’ Party, with Perera serving as Chairman of the Media Group, and Seah as President of the WP Youth Wing.
Mr Perera represented the Workers’ Party in the East Coast GRC during the 2015 General Election.
Although the Workers’ Party team lost with 39.27% of the votes, he was subsequently appointed as a Non-Constituency MP. In the 2020 General Election, he switched to contest in the Aljunied GRC, where he was successfully elected. He is the president of a consultancy firm and is married with two children.
Ms Seah contested in the Marine Parade GRC under the National Solidarity Party banner in the 2011 General Election.
In 2015, she quietly aided the Workers’ Party as a volunteer, and subsequently represented the Workers’ Party to contest in the East Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election.
She and her husband, who married in 2015, have two daughters. She currently co-founded and is the Chief Operating Officer of a tech company.
