TL;DR – This whole black and white house saga? Much ado about nothing.
Last month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered immediate investigations over a case involving Minister Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s leasing of the colonial black and white houses. Well, concurrent probes by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and SM Teo Chee Hean have just revealed no misconduct by both ministers!
In case you have missed the whole saga , you can catch up here. This drama (super rare in Singapore) started because on May 6, opposition politician Kenneth Jeyaretnam started to question how the ministers could afford to rent the pricey properties at No. 26 and No. 31 Ridout Road. Soon, other opportunistic critics also jumped at the chance to discredit the PAP politicians. Then… Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh also joined in the “fun” – and announced that he will ask PM Lee about the Government’s reasons for not addressing the public allegations through a press conference in May. Need time to properly investigate right, duh! Singh also raised his concerns about privileged information. Guess these will be addressed in Parliament come July.
With the issue over the innocent leasing of their residences potentially blowing up, Minister Shanmugam and Vivian immediatelyyyy went to PM Lee to request for an independent review.
“Tolong, Prime Minister, investigate us please lah please. Return our innocence!”
So that was what PM Lee did. He ordered not one, but TWO concurrent investigations to double confirm plus CHOP that the Ministers are indeed innocent as they say. On 28 June, both reviews by the CPIB and SM Teo Chee Hean found no preferential treatment given to the ministers and their spouses, and no disclosure of privileged information in the process of the rental transactions involving two black and white bungalows.
Much to the disappointment of sh*t stirrers huh.
Netizens react to the black and white house saga
If you have driven to a certain nearby country often enough during the long weekends, ahem, you would surely know how prevalent corruption is in the region right? Trolls might disagree, but we all know that Singapore has long prided herself for its government’s anti-corruption stance, from the top guy to the minions, and everyone in between. In case you have ever wondered why the PAP wears white – it signifies purity and integrity!
This drama just illustrates how corruption will not be tolerated in Singapore regardless of who you are!
In the online space, it seems netizens have strong faith in our system, and are eager to move on to more important bread and butter issues too.
Close this chapter, please. Enough resources wasted over empty accusations.
Election nearing, and smear campaign against the ruling party starts?
Hopefully the drama is over – somewhat? More details coming in July.