RDU urges Marine Parade–Braddell Heights by-election, citing two MP resignations and GE2025 walkover

Singapore alternative party Red Dot United (RDU) has called for a by-election in Marine Parade–Braddell Heights Group Representation Constituency (GRC) after Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim resigned as Member of Parliament (MP).

The call came on 20 July 2026, the same day Education Minister and People's Action Party (PAP) chairman Desmond Lee confirmed that no by-election would be held to fill the vacancy.

RDU chief Ravi Philemon said residents in and around Kembangan had experienced instability in their political representation for nearly three years.

He said the latest resignation followed the departure of former MP Tan Chuan-Jin in July 2023, describing both Tan and Faishal as anchor ministers associated with almost the same constituency.

Philemon argued that residents should be given an opportunity to decide who represents them, particularly after the PAP team was returned uncontested at the 2025 General Election (GE2025).

In a social media post on 20 July, Philemon said the combination of an uncontested election and subsequent mid-term resignation had left residents carrying the consequences of decisions they had not been able to influence at the ballot box.

He said RDU had received positive feedback about Faishal during its outreach activities in Nee Soon GRC before GE2025, where he had previously served as an MP.

"Prof Faishal was a well-liked MP," Philemon said, adding that his own interactions with Faishal had been respectful and that he had found him "endearing".

Philemon said Faishal's resignation had come as a surprise, particularly because Faishal's social media pages showed him active in his constituency and attending community events two days before his departure.

He said the sudden development would be "jarring" for Singaporeans, especially residents of Marine Parade–Braddell Heights.

RDU says residents deserve fresh mandate

Philemon criticised what he described as the way the resignation was communicated, arguing that residents should not have to learn suddenly that their MP had resigned after seeing him active in the constituency days earlier.

He also claimed the timing of the announcements appeared to prioritise party considerations over residents' need for clear communication and representation.

Philemon said residents in and around Kembangan had now experienced two departures involving MPs associated with their constituency in approximately three years.

Tan resigned in July 2023 over an issue involving personal conduct with a fellow PAP MP.

Faishal resigned on 20 July 2026 following his own admission that his conduct had fallen below expected standards.

RDU said these developments should be considered alongside the electoral history of the constituency.

At GE2025, the PAP team was returned by walkover, meaning residents did not vote for their MPs at the ballot box.

Philemon argued that residents were therefore denied a direct opportunity to choose their representatives before subsequently facing a mid-term vacancy.

He said the situation raised questions about the adequacy of representation when an MP leaves a GRC during a parliamentary term.

RDU's call is based on its argument that a vacancy in a GRC can result in remaining MPs having to serve a larger number of residents, with less dedicated attention for the affected ward.

Philemon contrasted the situation with single-member constituencies, where vacancies in Punggol East and Bukit Batok resulted in by-elections.

He cited previous mid-term vacancies involving PAP-held constituencies since 2012, naming Michael Palmer in Punggol East, David Ong in Bukit Batok, Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui in Marine Parade and Tampines, and Faishal.

RDU said only the two single-member constituencies held by-elections, while GRC vacancies did not result in residents being asked to elect a replacement.

Philemon argued that the Prime Minister retained the responsibility to decide whether residents should continue with reduced representation or be given an opportunity to choose their representatives.

He called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to call an election in Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC.

No by-election for Faishal's seat, confirms Desmond Lee

Speaking to reporters, Desmond Lee said the key consideration was "whether residents' needs continue to be adequately met", rather than whether a vacant GRC seat should be filled through an election.

He noted that previous vacancies in GRCs had similarly not resulted in by-elections.

Lee's position is consistent with the Court of Appeal's 2019 ruling in Wong Souk Yee v Attorney-General, which held that Article 49(1) of the Constitution does not require a by-election when one seat in a GRC becomes vacant.

The court ruled that a by-election is necessary only if all seats in a GRC are vacated.

The same principle is also set out in Section 24(2A) of the Parliamentary Elections Act.

The 2019 case arose from former PAP MP Halimah Yacob's resignation from Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC in 2017 to contest the presidential election.

No by-election was held following her departure.

Other precedents cited in relation to GRC vacancies include the resignation of Raeesah Khan from Sengkang GRC in 2021, the resignation of Tharman Shanmugaratnam from Jurong GRC in 2023 to contest the presidency, and the resignation of S Iswaran from West Coast GRC in 2024.

None of those departures resulted in a by-election.

Lee said the four remaining MPs in Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC would "step up, step forward, put in extra effort" to ensure Kembangan residents continued to receive services.

He added that further arrangements to strengthen the team would be announced in due course.

Addressing questions about Malay-Muslim representation, Lee said all MPs served every community.

He said additional arrangements were being worked on to ensure the team remained "well positioned" to represent the Malay-Muslim community.

Asked whether an arrangement similar to 2017 could be adopted, Lee said there were "many possibilities" under active consideration.

In 2017, Zaqy Mohamad became grassroots adviser in the area following Halimah Yacob's resignation.

Lee did not elaborate on the arrangements being considered for Marine Parade–Braddell Heights.

Team to work "doubly hard", says Seah Kian Peng

Separately, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng addressed residents at Faishal's scheduled Meet-the-People Session in Kembangan.

Seah said Faishal had apologised over the weekend to residents, volunteers and fellow MPs.

He assured residents that existing commitments would remain unchanged despite the resignation.

Seah said the team would "step up, step forward and... work doubly hard" to continue serving residents.

He said at least one MP would be present at every Meet-the-People Session going forward.

Additional support from PAP headquarters was also being discussed, while "various options" were being considered to strengthen the team.

Seah said community programmes would continue as planned.

Responsibilities among the remaining MPs would be finalised in the coming days.

The arrangements are intended to maintain constituency services following Faishal's departure and the resulting vacancy in the GRC.

Background to the resignation

Faishal resigned on 20 July after submitting a letter to PM Wong.

In the letter, he cited a "lapse of judgment" in his interactions with a woman who is a member of the public.

Faishal said there had been no physical relationship, but acknowledged that he had failed to establish clear boundaries earlier.

He said his conduct had "fell short of the standards expected of me".

Faishal resigned as Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Senior Minister of State, MP for Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC and PAP member.

He said he wanted to focus on his family.

Wong said the matter had surfaced about a month earlier after his office received an email from the woman involved.

Both parties subsequently made allegations of harassment against each other, and the matter was referred to the police.

Following investigations and consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, the authorities concluded that no criminal offence had been committed.

Wong said that although no criminal wrongdoing had been found, Faishal had accepted that his conduct fell short of the standards expected of a political office-holder.

Wong accepted Faishal's resignation and described his departure after two decades of public service as saddening.

Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad was appointed Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs with immediate effect.