No by-election after Faishal exit, PAP to strengthen Marine Parade-Braddell Heights team: Desmond Lee
The People’s Action Party chairman noted that no by-elections were called when MPs in Jurong GRC and Sengkang GRC vacated their seats previously.
PAP Chairman Desmond Lee speaks to the media following the resignation of Acting Minister for Muslim Affairs Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim, Jul 20, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
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SINGAPORE: No by-election will be called in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC despite the resignation of Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, the People’s Action Party (PAP) chairman Desmond Lee said on Monday (Jul 20).
Speaking to reporters in Kembangan, the ward that Assoc Prof Faishal used to oversee, Mr Lee said the party will make additional arrangements to strengthen the team there.
“There will be no by-election called. We've seen that in the Jurong GRC situation and in Sengkang GRC. The key is whether the residents' needs are adequately provided for,” he told reporters.
In 2023, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam resigned as Member of Parliament (MP) for Jurong GRC to contest the presidential election, while Ms Raeesah Khan vacated her post in Sengkang GRC in 2021 after lying in parliament.
“In this case, the four other MPs for Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC will step up, step forward, put in extra effort to ensure that the residents of Kembangan are taken care of – of all communities and of all backgrounds,” said Mr Lee, who is also education minister.
He had arrived at the party’s Kembangan branch with parliament speaker Seah Kian Peng, who is an MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, at around 5.30pm.
The other MPs for the constituency, Mr Goh Pei Ming and Ms Diana Pang, arrived separately at around 5.50pm. Ms Tin Pei Ling was not present as she was overseas. Also present was PAP assistant organising secretary Alex Yam.
Mr Lee said that Assoc Prof Faishal has made “significant contributions to Singapore over his two decades of public service”, both as acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs and as an MP.
“Looking ahead, the party will make additional arrangements to strengthen the team here, so residents can be assured that addressing their concerns and continuing to serve them remains our top priority,” he said.
When asked how the team will represent the needs of the Malay community with Assoc Prof Faishal out, Mr Lee emphasised that “all the MPs will serve all the communities, including our Malay-Muslim community”.
He acknowledged that the Muslim community will be concerned after the multiple changes in ministers representing them in just over a year. Mr Zaqy Mohamad took over from Assoc Prof Faishal, who himself took over from Mr Masagos Zulkifli in May last year.
“Certainly, the Malay-Muslim community will be concerned because the minister for Muslim affairs looks after their specific issues, concerns and aspirations,” said Mr Lee.
“But the PAP government's commitment to the Malay-Muslim community, as well as to all communities in Singapore, remains firm and clear.”
He added that the party will support Mr Zaqy as the new acting minister in representing the community’s concerns and aspirations, and addressing issues that matter to them.
IMPACT ON LEADERSHIP
When asked if Assoc Prof Faishal’s departure has quickened the need for a Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Lee said that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has always emphasised the urgency and immediacy of renewing the leadership team.
Assoc Prof Faishal is the second political office holder to have resigned in as many months, following Dr Koh Poh Koon’s resignation on May 22 for family reasons. Dr Koh remains as an MP in Tampines GRC.
“Indeed, I think he said recently that shortly after taking office, he recognised that he had to keep renewing the team,” Mr Lee said.
“I would say that regardless of whether this happened or not, PM is very focused on ensuring that there is a good pipeline of Singaporeans – not just of calibre but of integrity and a willingness of service – to step forward and serve Singapore.”
In response to a question from CNA on whether the party would actually have allowed Assoc Prof Faishal to stay on as an MP if he did not offer to resign, Mr Lee said that “the standards that we hold all PAP MPs and office holders to have been clearly outlined”.
The prime minister sends a code of conduct to all office holders and PAP MPs every year and “these expectations are very clear”, he said.
“His action of offering to resign is the correct one. It is a painful decision for him, it is a difficult situation for us, but we think this is necessary in order to uphold these standards and maintain public trust in our politics,” said Mr Lee.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES UNCHANGED
Mr Seah said that community initiatives in Assoc Prof Faishal’s former division of Kembangan will remain unchanged.
“I think we already have, actually, quite a few that we will be announcing in the months ahead. So that will not change,” he told reporters.
As for the division of responsibilities within the remaining four members of the team, Mr Seah said that the team would need a few days to discuss, and would share it publicly when finalised.
They will also show up to cover the division’s weekly Meet-the-People Sessions, but aim to work out something more permanent moving forward, he added.
Mr Seah, Ms Pang and Mr Goh were present at the session on Monday.
Acknowledging that it was the second time in about three years that the Kembangan ward had seen a change in MP – following Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation in July 2023 – Mr Seah said it is “unfortunate”.
“As a team, we always focus on what we need to do going forward,” he said.
“The commitment we make to the residents at Kembangan is that all of us, with the team behind us … we will work to make sure that your needs, your issues, your problems you may have, we will take them up and to the best of our ability, we will try to make it work and solve these issues.”
