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SINGAPORE: It will be good to openly discuss the Parti Liyani case in Parliament, Minister of Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam said on Wednesday (September 16), adding that members of Parliament have asked questions on the matter.
He said he will deliver a ministerial statement on the case.
“In the last few days, I have been receiving notices of various questions that have been put forward by parliamentarians,” said Mr. Shanmugam.
“Several members of the PAP, at least two, have raised questions about the Parti Liyani case and the way it has been handled,” he added. “It will be good if it is openly debated in Parliament, what happened is exposed and questions are addressed.”
Speaking on the sidelines of an event at the Tuas View fire station, Mr. Shanmugam was responding to a question about his response to the Workers’ Party (WP) motion to postpone to speak about improving equity in the Singapore criminal justice system.
READ: The Workers’ Party presents a motion to speak about fairness in criminal justice in the next session of Parliament
“Obviously, the deputies are interested. Now, WP has also made a motion, ”said Shanmugam.
“I think it’s good that both parties, the PAP MPs and the WP MPs, seem to be very interested.”
READ: Parti Liyani case: Shanmugam says ‘something went wrong’ in chain of events, urges people not to ‘prejudge’ the review
The WP said on Wednesday that it had tabled a motion to adjourn to speak when Parliament meets in October.
Titled “Justice for all: Improving fairness in the criminal justice system,” the motion will refer to “deeper issues” raised by the recent acquittal of Indonesian maid Parti Liyani, the WP said.
Ms. Parti was acquitted this month of all charges following her conviction in March 2019 for robbing the family of former Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong. Mr. Liew was her employer from 2007 to 2016 when she was laid off.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGC) said Ms Parti’s acquittal raises issues that “warrant further investigation.” Deputy Attorney General Hri Kumar Nair is conducting a review of the case.
READ: Timeline: How former maid Parti Liyani was acquitted of robbing the family of the chairman of Changi Airport Group
READ: Chairman of Changi Airport Group suspected the maid of stealing for years, but tolerated her behavior
Last week, Shanmugam said something had “gone wrong in the chain of events” in the case, adding that it will need to be analyzed.
He also urged people not to “prejudge” the review.
“In the process, we shouldn’t be defensive. It shouldn’t be a witch hunt,” Shanmugam had said.
“We have to find out what happened, why it happened and then deal with it. And be responsible. That’s the best way to build trust in the public, in the system. Go out in public and say what steps we have taken once the revisions are done “.
