I have known him for many years. I was a NWCDC councilor and he was a grassroots advisor there. A friendly, soft spoken and gentle man. Well liked by his residents and he was just promoted as Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs only last year after the General Election.
And by all counts he was doing very well. A popular MP and a Minister well liked by his community.
I remember when he was asked to move from Nee Soon to Marine Parade during the last election, he texted me and said “pray for me bro”. I thought all the stars were perfectly aligned for him at that time. Instead of facing the Workers Party, there was instead a walkover at Marine Parade, the only one. And immediately after the election he was promoted to become full Minister. A huge promotion for him.
Now this has happened. And it came as a huge shock to me. Reading the account of what happened from the press release, I wonder whether the matter was so serious that it required him to step down as a Minister and as an MP. Perhaps I am forgiving and perhaps I don’t know the full facts. Also I don’t know about the complainant, who might not have taken too kindly if there were no consequences for him.
The PM has however taken a firm stand that the party cannot lower its standards of what was expected of their office bearers and they have to show the public that they would not countenance any deviation from their expected high standards.
Nevertheless it is a serious loss for them. A popular MP and Minister now gone and they would have to face calls of why no by-elections are being called. Not to mention the inevitable bad publicity on social media about the conduct of their Ministers.
daily musings 
Leave a comment