SINGAPORE: Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-jin has apologised for using unparliamentary language during a parliament sitting in April this year.
According to a reddit thread, Mr Tan had muttered “f****** populist” after he called for Member of Parliament (MP) Vikram Nair (PAP-Sembawang) to respond to MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang).
“I had to listen to the recording as I did not recall the occasion,” Mr Tan said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jul 11).
“Based on the clip it appears that I had a reaction to a speech made in the chamber,” he added.
Mr Tan said that when he listens to speeches made, he like everyone else, “form views on them”.
He added that what was said were his private thoughts which he had muttered to himself and not to anyone.
“However I should not have expressed them aloud or in unparliamentary language, and I apologise for that,” Mr Tan said.
Mr Tan also said that he has spoken to Mr Lim and apologised to him, to which Mr Lim “has kindly accepted”.