PUBLISHED ONJuly 20, 2026 4:45 AMUPDATEDJuly 20, 2026 1:54 PMBYSean LerJust over a year after taking over as Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim has resigned over conduct which fell short of the standards expected of a political office holder and member of parliament.
His resignation, including as MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, was announced by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a statement on Monday (July 20).
According to the statement, PMO received an email from a female member of the public concerning her interactions with Assoc Prof Faishal.
Most of their interactions took place through online messages, and they also met on the sidelines of public events.
Both parties subsequently made allegations of harassment against each other, and the matter was referred to the police.
Investigations have since been completed, including consultations with the Attorney-General's Chambers and it was assessed that no criminal offence has been committed by either party.
"Accordingly, no criminal action will be taken against either of them," the statement read.
However, what happened still raises the question of whether Assoc Prof Faishal's conduct met the standards expected of an office holder and MP.
"Upon reflecting on the matter, Associate Professor Faishal accepted that his conduct fell short of these standards, and tendered his resignation," PMO said.
Assoc Prof Faishal, in his letter to PM Wong, said: "On reflection, I recognise that my conduct fell short of the standards expected of me and was not consistent with the responsibilities entrusted to me. I have therefore decided it is right for me to step away from politics, so that I can devote my time and attention to my family."
He added that there was no physical relationship between him and the woman, and that he did not intend for the interactions to develop into one.
"There was a lapse of judgement on my part in the way that I handled the interactions, and in failing to establish clearer boundaries at an earlier stage," he added.
"I have therefore decided it is right for me to step away from politics, so that I can devote my time and attention to my family."
The 58-year-old has been in politics for about 20 years.
Zaqy Mohamad, who is currently Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment, will take over as Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs immediately.
Meanwhile, his duties at Kembangan division will be covered by the four remaining MPs of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
At a doorstop later in the evening, People’s Action Party chairman Desmond Lee said a by-election will not be called, adding that the key is whether residents’ needs are adequately taken care of.
Checks by AsiaOne found that Assoc Prof Faishal's Instagram and LinkedIn accounts have since been deactivated. His most recent Facebook post was published on July 18.
Assoc Prof Faishal graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Estate Management from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1993 and earned his Master's in 1996.
He began his career as a valuer with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, serving from 1993 to 1996. He subsequently joined NUS, where he held a series of academic positions before being appointed associate professor in 2010.
Assoc Prof Faishal made his political debut in the 2006 general election, representing the Kaki Bukit division of Marine Parade GRC.
He later moved to Nee Soon GRC in 2011 and retained his seat in the 2011, 2015 and 2020 general elections.
Assoc Prof Faishal was redeployed to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC during the 2025 general election. His Kembangan division was previously helmed by former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who resigned over propriety and conduct matters in 2023.
After the election, Assoc Prof Faishal, who was then a minister of state, was promoted to Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and took over the Muslim Affairs portfolio from Masagos Zulkifli in 2025.
He is married with two children.
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