While people have begun to believe that things have finally calmed down in the world of Singaporean politics, they are in for another unwelcome surprise.
In a media statement posted on the Workers Party Facebook account on 25 July, it’s revealed that Vice-chairman of the Workers Party and Aljunied GRC MP Faisal Manap had been rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) the night before.
The cause? An unspecified cardiac condition.
Thankfully, as the media statement continues, Faisal’s condition in the ICU is currently conscious and stable.
The Workers Party has also urged the public to respect the privacy of the 48-year-old and his family as he continues to recover from his condition.
The comments left by netizens in response to the Facebook post were generally wholesome and filled with well wishes for Mr Faisal’s recovery, with some of them praising the execution of his duties as MP.
Only Three WP Members Left in Charge of Aljunied GRC As Faisal Recuperates
As Faisal takes time to recover, the other Aljunied GRC MPs and other members of the Workers Party will continue to cover his constituency duties.
However, due to the resignation of Leon Perera after admitting his affair with WP’s Youth Wing president Nicole Seah, this means what was initially a five-man team running Aljunied GRC is now down to only three members (which include fellow MPs Sylvia Lim, Gerald Giam and Pritam Singh).
Previously, the team had made history during the 2011 general election when they contested in Aljunied GRC against the People’s Action Party. Winning by 54.72% of the vote, it was the first time in Singapore’s history that an opposition party had won a general election in a GRC. Mr Faisal was the ethnic minority candidate contesting for Aljunied GRC at the time.
Only time will tell how the trio will carry out Mr Faisal’s duties in his absence.
Being a politician in Singapore is definitely not an easy feat since it involves duties that can be physically strenuous on the body.
These duties include attending long sessions in parliament, shuttling back and forth between numerous meet-the-people sessions and spending long hours writing appeal letters on their behalf.
Furthermore, as part of the grassroots committee, these MPs are also responsible for helping the government implement policies and programmes that suit the needs of residents.
There is no greater example of how taxing being a politician in Singapore can be than the time Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong fainted during 2016’s National Day rally.
The main cause of the minor mishap was ascertained to be fatigue.