Connecting The Dots

Personal disclosure. We shared the same lift down to the CK Tang basement carpark after Michael Palmer made a fool of himself doing the hip hop at Chingay 2007. Poor sap had no choice, he was one of the 12 post-65 MPs directed to perform for 1 full minute "to connect with the youths of today". He was so wet behind the ears, he actually mouthed, "Before I joined the grassroots organisation, I never knew there were poor people in developed countries". Someone should have warned him advisers to grassroots organisations are expected to uphold highest standards of personal conduct. This conduct unbecoming begs to be scrutinised.

The Timing
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said Michael Palmer confessed his sins of the flesh to him on Saturday Dec 8, but the nation was told only in the afternoon of Wednesday Dec 12. The buzz that morning concerned the early retirement of High Court Justice Philip Pillai, 65, who had served only 30 months, one of the shortest terms spent in the position in Singapore. It was Pillai who ruled that Hougang resident Madam Vellama would not have to pay costs relating to the bid for a court declaration that the Prime Minister did not have unfettered discretion in deciding whether and when to call by-elections. Teo said PM Lee met Mr Palmer on Sunday morning Dec 9, and Lee "directed that the matter be dealt decisively and in an open way".

The Other Woman

Off site meeting, China hotel

Outed before a gag order could be put in place, Ms Laura Ong was identified as the scarlet woman and constituency director of Pasir Ris West Constituency Office until she resigned on Monday Dec 10, citing "family commitments". That reference was obviously not about commitment to her businessman husband, since they were separated way before the hook-up with the speaker of parliament. Asked by the media for confirmation, Teo Chee Hean merely panned: "I think she knows what she did was wrong." Sigh, it's always the female who is cast the first stone.

The Last Supper
One social media website claims a reliable informant provided details days before the storm broke but the editorial team decided to await independent verification - they had enough headaches with the recent letter of demand from Dr Vasoo over alleged libel. Apparently the couple's last surreptitious "meeting" was at a hotel in Jalan Besar last week during lunch time. Some date before Dec 8. The informant had initially posted the interesting inputs online, but has since removed them. Trust Singapore lawyers to put fear into the hearts of lesser mortals.

The Replacements
Teo said his party had to make plans to take care of the constituency before going public with the latest debacle. Charles Chong was appointed Acting Speaker of Parliament, and Teo Ser Luck will oversee the Punggol East constituency. Both are featured in the photo spread of Ms Ong's blog. Was Palmer just one of three juicy targets?

The Punishment
Comparison with the Yaw Shin Leong affair is inevitable. Yaw was sacked, Palmer was allowed to resign, what the army generals would call a honourable discharge. PAP apologist Chua Mui Hoong said Yaw maintained a "strange silence in the face of allegations", but Khaw Boon Wan's charges can be easily paraphrased:
"The Workers' Party PAP needs to come clean with the people what information have they got about Mr Yaw Palmer and in particular, what they know about him prior to the May election. And if they know, why did they field Mr Yaw Palmer. I think it is sad that the voters have been misled by the Workers' Party PAP."
For all his candour, Michael Palmer's "I had a relationship with a member of the PA" is not particularly enlightening, compared to the orgy of salacious detail indulged in the Ng Boon Gay corruption case.