NCMP Leong Mun Wai, removed some allegations from his Facebook post after being called out for “unparliamentary conduct”.
The post had questioned the government’s claim that Lee Hsien Yang and Mrs Lee Suet Fern had “absconded”. Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam raised the issue in a ministerial statement, which led Mr Leong to delete parts of his post.
Mr Leong said his post was intended to raise certain points of public interest, and he did not mean to cast aspersions on ministers or act unparliamentarily.
The issue of parliamentary privilege has been a contentious one in Singapore politics. The concept of parliamentary privilege allows elected representatives to speak freely and openly without fear of legal action or prosecution. However, the privilege is not absolute and can be breached if an individual makes defamatory or inflammatory statements.
Leong Mun Wai’s case is an example of how social media has complicated the issue of parliamentary privilege. While social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have allowed politicians to reach a wider audience than ever before, it has also made it easier for individuals to breach parliamentary privilege by making defamatory or inflammatory statements.
The case also highlights the importance of responsible and accurate communication by politicians on social media. Inaccurate or defamatory statements can have serious consequences, not just for the individual making the statement, but also for the broader political environment.
