Speaker of Singapore's Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin issued an apology on Tuesday for his use of inappropriate language during a parliamentary session in the month of April. The incident, which has resurfaced due to a video circulating on social media, shows Tan allegedly muttering expletives after Sengkang MP Jamus Lim concluded his speech on April 17.
Lim Was Addressing Social Issues
In the video surfaced online, one can see Lim had been addressing the House during a debate on the President's Address, specifically discussing the need to enhance Singapore's social compact and strengthen its social safety net. He had proposed the establishment of an official poverty line in his speech. As soon as he finished his speech, Tan can be seen muttering words like, "Fu**ing Populist."
Tan Apologises On Facebook
The video in question was reportedly uploaded to Reddit by a user and has since been shared on various social media platforms. In response to its viral spread, Speaker Tan took to Facebook on Tuesday morning to express his apologies.
While acknowledging that he did not recall the specific incident and had to listen to the recording, Tan admitted that he, like everyone else, forms personal opinions while listening to speeches. The comments he made were his private thoughts, muttered to himself and not intended for anyone else to hear.
Lim Accepted Tan's Apologies
However, Tan acknowledged that expressing those thoughts aloud, especially using unparliamentary language, was inappropriate. He sincerely apologised for his actions. Furthermore, he personally reached out to MP Jamus Lim to offer his apologies, which Lim graciously accepted.
