Mr David Ong, the former Bukit Batok Member of Parliament who resigned abruptly last month amid reports of an extramarital affair with a grassroots volunteer, has sent personal letters to residents to apologise for not completing his term.
In the undated letter, Mr Ong wrote: "I made a serious error of judgement in my personal life, leading to my resignation as MP. I am deeply sorry for having let you down, and for not being able to serve you for the full term that you elected me for."
When contacted by TODAY on Thursday, Mr Ong, 54, confirmed that he had sent the letters to Bukit Batok residents but did not elaborate. Multiple reports have linked his resignation to an extramarital affair with Ms Wendy Lim, 41, a logistics executive who also actively helped Mr Ong during last year's General Election
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Reply to David Ong
Dear David,
- Thank you for your letter – in four languages no less – which I found in my mailbox last week. My mailbox’s anti-junk mail catch was engaged but yet your letter was in there. Did you pay SingPost – they have the master key – to do a mass mailing?
- And, by the way, may I call you “David” instead of “Mr Ong”? I mean, you are as human as the rest of us, aren’t you? Plus “David” has a nice, folksy ring to it. Brings people closer to you, right?
- As for being as human as the rest of us, I’m sure you are, and that’s probably one reason why you got yourself in such a, ahem, sticky, gooey mess.
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PAP David Ong must apologise to the husband and children of Wendy Lim
In GE2015, Wendy Lim's family went to support PAP David Ong on the polling day at the stadium. They raised their thumbs to support David Ong as MP as seen in the below photo. The husband did not expect this lecherous David Ong to secretly f*ck his wife for 6 months. He had to run away and hide in Japan since the news broke out. He is too ashamed to face his relatives, children and friends as they knew he is a strong supporter of PAP and David Ong. The worst is the children who are still schooling. They would be too ashamed to face their classmates as their mother was known to them as a prominent PAP supporter.
They did not expect a PAP MP to take advantage of their kindness to f*uck their mother for 6 months.
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Resignation of MP David Ong
MP David Ong resigned today, citing personal reasons. My exchange of letters with him is below.
David has worked hard as an MP and served his residents diligently. I thank him for his contributions.
I intend to hold a by-election in the Bukit Batok SMC in due course. Meanwhile, Senior Minister of State Desmond Lee, MP for Jurong GRC, will take care of Bukit Batok residents.
Holding the moral line in politics
The public will sympathise with the family of former PAP MP for Bt Batok David Ong, and indeed with another family drawn into the public eye by what he described as a 'personal indiscretion'. They are collateral victims of actions that he now regrets deeply, and deserve a chance to 'heal and rebuild', as he put it.
The People's Action Party and Mr Ong believed that an immediate departure from his MP's post and from the party was in order, given the nature of the indiscretion --- an extra-marital affair. That reflects the political accountability that the Singapore system demands of its MPs when the moral code, which society expects to be upheld, is breached.
What this sorry episode reaffirms is that morality does matter in politics here, unlike the blurring of lines elsewhere. In many countries, infidelity is no bar to politicians who spring back not just from extra-marital affairs but also sexting and prostitution scandals. Forgiving such indiscretions is rightly seen here as a step down the slippery slope of moral decline, which would undermine the high standards of integrity set by the nation's founding fathers.
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With power comes infidelity?
Married, successful ... why do some men risk it all?
The stakes were high for Bukit Batok MP David Ong.
The People's Action Party (PAP) second-term MP was said to be well-liked by his residents and ran the estate well.
Married for more than two decades, he has three sons who turn 17, 19 and 21 this year.
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MPs who step down for the wrong reasons should be fined
Despite the decisive action taken, some Singaporeans are angry that Mr David Ong’s personal indiscretion forced him to resign (“PAP took decisive action over David Ong, says Chun Sing”; Mar 14).
This is the 3rd such case in four years. Surely lessons should have been learnt, especially by the People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs), as integrity has been a PAP fundamental.
The situation is aggravated because Mr Ong did not express contrition initially, citing a personal reason for stepping down.
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Taxpayers should not bear the cost of PAP MP’s infidelity
It was revealed last week that MP (Member of Parliament) for Bukit Batok, Mr David Ong, resigned from his elected position because of his indiscretion in having an extra-marital affair with his Women’s Wing grassroots leader.
It would be more understandable if Mr Ong resigned because of health reasons or reasons of mental incapacity. But to resign for personal moral failure is truly unacceptable. It must have cost taxpayers millions of dollars to hold the last General Election. From the policemen, to the teachers, to the civil servants deployed for the event, a lot of man-hours are also invested into it.
I estimate that to host one by-election alone, it will cost tax-payers hundreds-of-thousands of dollars. Why should taxpayers be penalised for the moral failure of the MP?
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PAP to come clean about David Ong?
The Online Citizen (TOC) wrote a few questions to Transport Minister, Mr Khaw Boon Wan on Sunday about the resignation of David Ong and his alleged affair.
The questions are as follow:
- Does Mr Khaw have anything to say about Mr David Ong’s character and his reasons for leaving the People’s Action Party?
- Does Mr Khaw hold the opinion that a political figure has no difference between his or her public and private life.
- Does Mr Khaw believe that voters take into account a person’s character when they go to the polls?
- Does Mr Khaw think that PAP should clarify if the party is aware of Mr Ong’s alleged affair and if it is known, why did the party field Mr Ong?
Bukit Batok Resident: PAP MP did not apologise for resignation
A Bukit Batok SMC resident submitted a letter from her PAP town council saying that the PAP MP “apologised deeply” when there was no apology at all.
“I am a resident at Bukit Batok and I received this letter in my mailbox from Jurong GRC MP Desmond Lee. The 2nd line says David Ong “has apologised deeply to residents for having to resign prematurely.” I don’t remember him doing so. Did he?
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Bukit Batok voter asks if caretaker MP Desmond Lee is lying about David Ong
I am a resident at Bukit Batok and I received this letter in my mailbox from Jurong GRC MP Desmond Lee. The 2nd line says David Ong “has apologised deeply to residents for having to resign prematurely.”
I don’t remember him doing so. Did he? If David Ong didn’t apologise, Desmond Lee would be lying to the residents. I haven’t heard or seen any apology from David Ong thus far.
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Ex-PAP MP David Ong shielded from scrutiny by social media attention & unique political system
In the first 48 hours of the scandal, Ong gave a three-sentence text and disappeared.
Singapore aims to be a SMART nation, as it takes full advantages of technology and IT to improve our lives.
But a resignation of a politician and public figure via Facebook and a text message must be a world’s first.
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Singapore MP resigns over affair with grassroots activist
Lim holding images of Ong at a rally last year
People's Action Party (PAP) Bukit Batok MP David Ong, who resigned suddenly on Saturday, is believed to have had an extramarital affair with a woman who is a grassroots activist in his ward.
The woman is understood to be Wendy Lim, 41, who works in a logistics firm.
Photographs of her participating in grassroots activities in Bukit Batok and supporting the party during last September's General Election were posted on a Facebook page titled Bukit Batok PAP Woman's Wing. Some showed her with Ong.
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MP David Ong resigns due to extramarital affair; joins growing ranks of Political Assholes
People's Action Party MP for Bukit Batok David Ong resigned as both an MP and party member yesterday after admitting to a "personal indiscretion".
Mr Ong, 54, is believed to have had an extramarital affair with a married woman, who is a grassroots activist in his constituency.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said a by-election will be called "in due course" in Bukit Batok, which the PAP won with 73 per cent of the votes in a three-way race in last September's general election.
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Woman who allegedly had affair with MP David Ong is a grassroots leader in Bukit Batok
PAP Bukit Batok MP David Ong, who resigned suddenly yesterday, is believed to have had an extramarital affair with a woman who is a grassroots leader in his ward.
From accounts of those who knew them, it seemed the reported affair started some time after the general election. The woman is understood to be Ms Wendy Lim, 41, who works in a logistics firm and has been active in the constituency for some time.
A source said Mr Ong and Ms Lim, who are both married, were spotted together at last year's Formula One race.
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David Ong resignation due to affair with fellow party member: Zaobao
An extramarital affair with a fellow PAP member was behind Mr David Ong's move to resign as the Bt Batok MP, Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported.
In an online report on Saturday night citing unnamed sources, the Chinese newspaper identified the woman involved in the alleged affair with Mr Ong as Ms Wendy Lim, 41, a senior executive in the logistics industry.
She was said to be a member of the Bukit Batok PAP Women's Wing.
related: Few public signs of trouble before alleged affair prompted David Ong to resign as MP
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Identity of married woman believed to have had affair with Bukit Batok MP David Ong revealed
People's Action Party Bt Batok MP David Ong, who resigned suddenly on Sat (Mar 12), is believed to have had an extramarital affair with a woman who is a grassroots activist in his ward.
According to The Straits Times, the woman is understood to be Ms Wendy Lim, 41, who works in a logistics firm.
Photos of her participating in grassroots activities in Bt Batok and supporting the party during last September's General Election were posted on a Facebook page titled Bukit Batok PAP Woman's Wing. Some showed her with Mr Ong.
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David Ong’s allegedly had a fling with his grassroots leader Wendy Lim
According to reports from Lianhe Zaobao, former Member of Parliament, Mr David Ong, was involved in a relationship with PAP Bukit Batok Branch Women’s Wing member Ms Wendy Lim, 41, a logistics executive.
Ms Lim is described by the newspaper as an ardent supporter of the MP and was actively involved in his General Election 2015 campaign.
Several photos of Ms Lim’s photos with Mr Ong have been circulating on the internet, and they were downloaded from her Facebook. Her Facebook account went offline at about 6.30pm.
related: David Ong is a family-wrecker, worse than Michael Palmer
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Ex-MP David Ong had relationship with woman named Wendy Lim from PAP Women’s Wing
First, they discovered that Ong had committed an extra-marital affair.
Second, they found out who the woman in question was.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, the woman was a Bukit Batok PAP Women’s Wing activist named Wendy Lim.
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David Ong scandal: Do MPs need more scrutiny?
THE news broke like a storm, but what a curious sequence. First, PM Lee announced via Facebook that MP David Ong has resigned from both political post and party for “personal reasons”, mentioning only that it was in the best interest of his constituents, party, family and himself.
Tongues started wagging – what sort of “personal” reason would warrant such severe action? Of course, the announcement was designed to be vague, and clearly also to spare Mr Ong the scrutiny that is bound to follow – and which has followed.
When probed by the media, Mr Ong asked for privacy, but that did nothing to hold back the storm.
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PAP MP David Ong’s lover is PAP member Wendy Lim
Bald, old, ugly and fat? No problem, you can still find love in the PAP
54-year-old PAP MP David Ong’s lover is PAP member Wendy Lim. The 41-year-old logistics sales executive is a member of the Bukit Batok PAP Women’s Wing. When Bukit Batok PAP MP David Ong made the announcement, Wendy Lim deleted all photos taken of her and her lover.
This is the second extra-marital affairs to struck the PAP camp, suggesting falling standards and moral values in PAP members. Singaporeans who voted PAP has again been taken for a ride by their PAP MP despite election slogans about integrity and having the right leadership.
MP David Ong has three children and a wife, while PAP member Wendy Lim is married according to media reports. The two had to end their love song only when Wendy Lim’s husband made a formal complaint to the PAP, despite earlier multiple warnings since he found out 6 months ago.
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THE WOMAN IN DAVID ONG'S AFFAIR IS A PAP BUKIT BATOK MEMBER
Today it was suddenly announced that PAP MP for Bukit Batok SMC David Ong was quitting his seat and the party for personal reason. It was later revealed that he had to do so because of "personal indiscretion
According to Zaobao, the woman that had an affair with David Ong is one Wendy Lim, 41, a logistics senior executive and also a Bukit Batok PAP branch activist. For the past year, Wendy had been regularly uploading many photos of her activities in PAP Bukit Batok, including several with David Ong.
Wendy is an active member of the PAP. During last year's general elections, Wendy, together with other supporters, was known to have drawn up caricatures of David Ong and brought them to the nomination centre
related: DPM THARMAN: DAVID ONG IS A REALLY HARDWORKING MP, WEEKENDS, WEEKDAYS & NIGHTS SPENT IN BUKIT BATOK
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王金发涉婚外情 对象是党支部妇女团成员
联合早报网讯）武吉巴督区议员王金发（54岁）涉及婚外情，今天下午突然以“个人理由”向李显龙总理请辞国会议员职务，并退出人民行动党.
据本报得知，王金发的婚外情对象是人民行动党武吉巴督支部妇女团成员林婉丽（Wendy Lim，41岁，物流企业高层）。林婉丽过去一年来，不时在面簿上载多张参与武吉巴督基层活动的照片，其中包括与王金发的合照。 据知，林婉丽是相当活跃的行动党党员.
去年全国大选，林婉丽曾连同其他支持者，根据王金发的形象制作漫画版王金发纸板。提名日当天，她和其他支持者前往克明小学，手握漫画纸板与王金发合影.
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Former MP David Ong: “There is personal indiscretion on my part that I deeply regret”
- “I feel that it’s the right thing to do to step down for the best interests of the party, my constituents and family.
- There is personal indiscretion on my part which I deeply regret. I would appreciate if you can give me and my family the privacy to heal and rebuild.” – Former MP for Bukit Batok, David Ong
MP David Ong resigns as MP/PAP Member, By-Election to be held due course
SDP announces intention to contest in By-Election for Bukit Batok SMC
How life play tricks on PAP and their words
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Resigned PAP MP admits indiscretion – DPM Tharman apologises to Bukit Batok voters
In a statement released today, the resigning Member of Parliament for Bukit Batok, Mr David Ong, has admitted that his resignation was due to “personal indiscretion” on his part.
He further added that he deeply regretted the indiscretion, and asked to be given privacy for him and his family to heal and rebuild.
Commenting on his resignation, the Mr Ong said, “I feel that it’s the right thing to do to step down for the best interests of the party, my constituents and family.”
related:
SDP announces intention to contest Bukit Batok by-election
MP for Bukit Batok SMC David Ong resigns – by-election looms
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Who is PAP MP David Ong?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has just announced the shocking resignation of People’s Action Party (PAP) MP David Ong Kim Huat, who is from Bukit Batok SMC.
The announcement was made on PM Lee’s Facebook page on March 12, 2016, just after 4pm.
After PM’s FB note went live, we noticed that PAP MP David Ong, 55, has disappeared from the online space, as his Facebook page has been disabled.
related:
Chee Soon Juan confirms SDP will contest in Bukit Batok SMC by-election
PAP MP David Ong from Bt Batok SMC resigns suddenly, by-election to be called
DPM Tharman apologises to Bukit Batok residents on behalf of PAP
Ex-PAP MP David Ong cites 'personal indiscretion' as reason for resignation
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TIME FOR DR CHEE SOON JUAN TO CONTEST BUKIT BATOK BY-ELECTION & GIVE PAP A GOOD FIGHT?
I do not care why David Ong resigned, I do not want to know why he resign. For all we know, he has come down with serious illness and all he wants now is peace and quiet to recuperate. Speculation of such is pointless, it is smarter to think forward
This time is ripe and the opportunity has come. I think it is time for Dr Chee Soon Juan to return to Parliament after his years in the political wilderness. Since there will be a bt election, the by election effect will be in full swing. Singaporeans in Bukit Batok SMC can vote without fear of the PAP losing power and allow more alternate voices in Parliament.
Dr Chee's fiery performances during GE2015 has given the 30 percent of Singaporeans hope that one day we will have a multi-party Government with true checks and balances. This is a perfect opportunity for Dr Chee Soon Juan to step up and capture Bukit Batok from the PAP. This is the time for Dr Chee to prove his mantle and put his words into actions. Since SDP contested in Bukit Batok SMC, it makes perfect sense for Dr Chee to stand
related:
GIVE BT BATOK A REAL CHOICE: SDP SHOULD GIVE WAY TO WP
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PAP MP resigns due to “personal reasons”, By-election for Bukit Batok SMC confirmed
PAP MP for Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency (SMC) David Ong today (Mar 12) announced his resignation and a by-election for the ward has been confirmed by the Prime Minister. In his resignation letter made public by the state media, David Ong cited “personal reasons”.
When queried by the media, David Ong said: “There is personal indiscretion on my part which I deeply regret”. There have been no possible reasons speculated by other media sources but in the two previous MP resignations, both were due to extra-marital affairs.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he will hold a by-election for Bukit Batok SMC “in due course”. This is the second time in recent years a PAP MP abandon their residents with the last being Michael Palmer in Punggol East SMC.
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MP for Bukit Batok resigns from Parliament and PAP
Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Batok SMC, Mr David Ong has resigned from his position as an MP and also from the People’s Action Party (PAP), citing ”personal reasons”.
His resignation, effective today (12th Mar), was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on the same day.
In the interim, Senior Minister of State (Home Affairs and National Development) and MP for Jurong GRC, Mr Desmond Lee will cover Mr David Ong’s MP duties for Bukit Batok SMC, till a by-election is held in “due course”, said the PMO.
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Bukit Batok MP David Ong resigns over ‘personal indiscretion’
In explaining his decision, he told The Sunday Times: “I feel that it’s the right thing to do to step down for the best interests of the party, my constituents and family. “There is personal indiscretion on my part which I deeply regret.
I would appreciate if you can give me and my family the privacy to heal and rebuild.”
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PAP ‘holier than thou’ standards bites them back in the arse twice
Just to clear some doubts, David Ong did not resign because he had an affair. He resigned because he was CAUGHT.
On a side note, while it is immoral, having an affair is not a crime in Singapore. However, it was the PAP that first demanded the resignation of YSL of the Worker’s Party in 2012 when he had an affair.
Now this has come back to bite them in the backside, first with Michael Palmer now David Ong. Isn’t it embarassing when the PAP demands high standards from the opposition but can’t deliver on those standards themselves?
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White is a superior color, all the rest is dirt
Most of the comments I see on blogs and social media about the sudden resignation of PAP member of parliament David Ong have a tinge of schadenfreude. “Karma’s a bitch” is a popular phrase. It points out how the People’s Action Party’s 2012 hounding of the Workers’ Party for its then-MP Yaw Shin Leong’s extra-marital affair has boomeranged on themselves, not once but twice. In 2013, the PAP’s Michael Palmer fell from grace for the same reason, and now it is the turn of their MP for Bukit Batok, David Ong.
Obviously, having made an issue of marital fidelity over Yaw, the PAP cannot possibly paper over any similar behaviour among its own MPs. But as was pointed out in the blog Alvinology, the law of probability should have forewarned the PAP that since they have far more MPs than the Workers’ Party, they will suffer many more instances of such embarrassment.
Party leader and prime minister Lee Hsien Loong wants his MPs to be whiter than white. Given these precedents, it is now impossible for anyone in the party to be even a wee bit free-spirited in matters of the heart.
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PAP – swift and decisive… Really?
PAP took “decisive action” on former MP David Ong. That’s according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s office, Mr Chan Chun Sing. I don’t get it. In what ways did PAP took decisive actions? I thought David Ong resigned? It’s not like PAP found out about the affair and fired David Ong.
Besides, the affair had been apparently been going on for six months. In all that time, did no one at PAP’s Bukit Batok branch suspect that anything was amiss? None of the other senior PAP members noticed it? No one thought to escalate that issue upwards to PAP HQ? If they did, did anyone in PAP HQ call David Ong in for a little chit chat? If not, then what “decisive actions” were taken?
Unless the “decisive actions” meant that PM Lee was very decisive in accepting the resignation. Liddat also mean decisive ah? Then the bar for decisive action is set very low indeed.
related: Another PAP MP bites the dust
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Exploiting David Ong
First of all, I do not usually post on a current event so soon after it breaks. So this is a rarity, and in case you have a suspicion, yes, this blog piece is all about exploiting the currency of PAP's David Ong resignation as an MP for Bt Batok SMC. So if you are reading this and was drawn here because you Googled "David Ong", thank you for visiting this blog. Exploiting his name has worked.
The reason I do not usually post on breaking stories is that the facts are still coming out, and really, all people have are speculation. Which does not mean that people keep from speculation and restrain themselves. The lack of information just gives them more scope, more freedom for speculation.
And we could all do with a little more freedom.
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Infidelity and the PAP: Why I have no sympathy for David Ong
First, it was Yaw Shin Leong from the Workers’ Party (WP) in early 2012 who allegedly had an extra-marital affair with a female supporter. He eventually vacated his MP seat and resulted in a by-election being called in the Hougang SMC ward. Then there was Michael Palmer from the PAP at the end of 2012, who also had an extra-marital affair. He vacated his MP seat as well and resulted in a by-election being called in the Punggol East SMC ward.
Now, there is David Ong to add to the string of recent MPs with ‘personal indiscretion’ issues.
I want to sympathise with Ong, but found it impossible to do so.
related:
Is this Wendy Lim (林婉丽)’s family photo?
[Photos] Who is Wendy Lim (林婉丽)?
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Bukit Batok grassroots leader Wendy Lim has resigned from the PAP
A spokesperson for the People’s Action Party (PAP) has confirmed that its Bukit Batok Women’s Wing member, Wendy Lim has “voluntarily resigned” from the political party today (Mar 15).
Ms Lim allegedly had an extra-marital affair with the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Batok, David Ong.
Ms Lim’s employer, Pacific Integrated Logistics, also spoke to the media today saying the indiscretion was a “private personal matter”. Ms Lim is the sales director of logistics firm and is currently on a leave of absence.
related: The knowns and unknowns in David Ong’s case of personal indiscretion
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Full Coverage:
PAP MP David Ong resigns over affair with Bukit Batok grassroots activist
By-election could be held as early as May
Bukit Batok residents shocked by MP David Ong's resignation
MP David Ong resigns; by-election to be called
MP David Ong quits after admitting to 'personal indiscretions'
How life plays tricks on PAP and its words
Bukit Batok MP David Ong resigns due to 'personal indiscretions'
Opposition parties eye Bukit Batok by-election seat
David Ong had affair with party member: Media reports
Few public signs of trouble b4 alleged affair prompted David Ong to resign as MP
Bukit Batok MP David Ong resigns, leaves PAP due to "personal reasons"
Resigned PAP MP admits indiscretion:DPM Tharman apologises to Bt Batok voters
David Ong scandal: Do MPs need more scrutiny?
Statement by PM Lee on MP David Ong's resignation
Singapore MP resigns over affair with grassroots activist
David Ong admits 'personal indiscretion', asks for privacy, resign as Bt Batok MP
Is this Wendy Lim (林婉丽)’s family photo?
The moral KPI for MPs
On Public Morality, Political Capital, and Adultery
Exploiting David Ong
Infidelity and the PAP: Why I have no sympathy for David Ong
Another PAP MP bites the dust
MP David Ong’s affair a personal indiscretion
Why we should not forget the good work done
PM Lee reminds MPs: PAP slogan is not ‘With you, for you, in you’
Who is Wendy Lim (林婉丽)?
MP David Ong Resigns: By-Election Battle Lai Liao
SDP’s Chee Soon Juan may contest in Bukit Batok by-election but so are 2
White is a superior colour, all the rest is dirt
related: Politics and Adultery
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac
Here's Michael Palmer with his mistress Laura Ong
Just want to give my two cents on the recent Michael Palmer affair that has been dominating the headlines in Singapore lately.
In case you are not Singaporean or you are but somehow still do not know what happened, basically it is your classic story of a politician who decided to have an affair, the news got leaked out, and he resigns his post.
There are no sex tapes or naked cellphone photos accompanying this news (boring!) except some mushy smses discussing... fruit... but Singaporeans are still pretty excited about it. Our country is kinda boring.
read more
Police reports filed over by-election ad breaches
Bukit Batok polls: The aftermath
Bukit Batok by-election: And The Winner is
Bukit Batok by-election: Polling Day
Bukit Batok by-election: Cooling-Off Day
Bukit Batok by-election: Whose side are you on?
Bukit Batok by-election rallies - 1
Bukit Batok by-election rallies - 2
Bukit Batok by-election to be held on May 7
The Upcoming Bt Batok By-Election
Bt Batok MP resigns over 'personal indiscretion'
