Singapore minister resigns over 'interactions with a woman'

Singapore's Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim has resigned from office over his interactions with a woman, Prime ​Minister Lawrence Wong said in a statement. "Most of their interactions ‌took place through online messages. They also met on the sidelines of public events," wrote Wong on Monday.Both parties later made allegations of harassment against each other, and the matter has been investigated by the police, he added. The People's Action Party, which prides itself on a "whiter than white" reputation, has been rocked by political scandal in recent ⁠years. Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim is sworn in as Singapore's Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, during a swearing-in ceremony at the Istana, in Singapore, May 23, 2025. Photo by Reuters In 2023, then Transport Minister S. Iswaran was probed for graft and senior lawmakers resigned over affairs, prompting former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to say that his party had taken a hit from a spate of scandals. Wong said no criminal offense had been committed by either party in Faishal's case and no criminal action will be taken, but "there was a separate question of whether Associate Professor Faishal's conduct met the standards expected of a political office holder and member of parliament." Faishal also resigned from the ruling People's Action Party. Faishal has been a ‌member ⁠of parliament since 2006 and became the acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs in 2025. In his resignation letter posted on the website of the Prime Minister's Office, Faishal said: "While there was no physical relationship between us, and I did not intend for the interactions to develop into one, there was ⁠a lapse of judgment on my part in the way I handled the interactions, and in failing to establish clearer boundaries at an earlier stage." Wong said he was saddened Faishal was leaving politics under ⁠these circumstances. Faishal did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. In 2024, Iswaran pled guilty to obstructing justice and receiving more than US$300,000 worth of gifts, and was sentenced to 12 ⁠months in prison. Last year, Singapore ministers and a lawmaker also came under scrutiny for attending dinners with a convicted money launderer. Two ministers were also investigated and cleared of wrongdoing over their rental of exclusive state-owned properties in 2023.