After being criticised by States Times Review for exerting political pressure on the judicial process, Minister of State Chan Chun Sing now flipflopped saying that PAP MPs should no longer directly write letters to the Court. Just a week ago, the PAP Whip said that MPs can write to the Court if the matter is “urgent”:
“MPs should write letters of appeal directly to the courts on behalf of residents, saying this is usually done only for urgent cases.”
Without giving an explanation for his U-turn, Minister Chan Chun Sing yesterday (Feb 9) issued an internal memo to all PAP MPs not to write to the Courts anymore:
“PAP MPs must not do anything that may give rise to any misperception that they can influence or interfere in the judicial process.”
PAP MPs’ letters recently hit the headlines after PAP MP Lam Pin Ming’s letter was slammed by the High Court as “misrepresentation of facts”. Despite been proven to influence the judge using false information, no charges was filed against the PAP MP.
Minister Chan Chun Sing subsequently covered up for MP Lam Pin with an audacious claim saying that MPs do not have to verify facts in their letters to the Court. Nobody dared rebut the potential Prime Minister successor except States Times Review.