Singapore minister Faishal Ibrahim resigns after conduct review

Singapore,UPDATED: Jul 20, 2026 16:30 IST

Singapore's acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim has resigned after questions were raised about his conduct in his interactions with a woman, according to an official statement.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the Prime Minister's Office received an email from the woman last month detailing her interactions with Faishal, following which the relevant authorities were asked to review the matter. Police later concluded that no criminal offences had been committed and that no action would be taken against either side, but a separate review was carried out on whether Faishal's conduct met the standards expected of a political office holder and MP.

In a statement on Monday, Wong said, "Most of their interactions took place through online messages. They also met on the sidelines of public events." During the investigation, both parties alleged harassment against each other.

The statement said, "But there was a separate question of whether Associate Professor Faishal's conduct met the standards expected of a Political Office Holder and MP." It added, "Upon reflecting on the matter, Associate Professor Faishal accepted that his conduct fell short of these standards, and tendered his resignation." According to the statement, Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment, will replace Faishal.

In a letter to Wong that was released to the media, Faishal said, "While there was no physical relationship between us, and I did not intend for the interactions to develop into one, there was a lapse of judgement on my part in how I handled the interactions and in failing to establish clearer boundaries at an earlier stage." Faishal, 58, entered politics in 2006 after an academic career at the University of Singapore and has held several government positions over the years.

Shortly after his resignation was accepted, Faishal said in a social media post, "I am deeply sorry to have let down my residents and supporters, who placed their trust in me." The case ended with no criminal action, but Faishal stepped down after accepting that his conduct had fallen short of the standards expected of him.

With PTI Inputs

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