Ho Ching, the former CEO of Temasek Holdings and known for her frequent Facebook posts, shared a message on the evening of 17 February discussing honesty and the consequences of lying.
In the post, she wrote:
“When a liar tries to cover up a lie, he has to try to remember all the bits of lies in order to craft a plausible story, without contradicting the bits of lies.
When we tell the truth, we just tell the truth as is, and don’t have to try to make up more lies to cover earlier lies.
True, we may not always remember every detail – that’s quite human.
But we should not brazen out by trying to repeat lies in order to cover up.
More importantly, we should tell the truth, and not wing it with a lie just bcos we think we can’t be found out.
Honesty is doing the right thing even when no one is looking or no one knows.”
Coincidentally, her post was published just a day after Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh was convicted for giving false testimony to the Committee of Privileges (COP) during its inquiry in December 2021.
Singh, the Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, was fined the maximum of S$7,000 for each of his two charges, amounting to a total penalty of S$14,000.
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan on Monday (17 February) found Singh guilty of two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges, making him the first sitting opposition MP in nearly 40 years to be convicted of a criminal offence.
The first charge concerned Singh’s claim that on 8 August 2021, he had intended for former WP MP Raeesah Khan to clarify her lie in Parliament at some point.
The second charge pertained to his assertion that he had advised Khan on 3 October 2021 to admit her falsehood in Parliament, one day before she reiterated it.
Singh stated that his legal team has been instructed to file an appeal and review the written oral judgment in detail.
Netizens Highlight Irony in Ho Ching’s Remarks, Cite Former Speaker’s Affair
Observing discussions on Reddit and Ho Ching’s Facebook page, some netizens questioned whether her post was an indirect reference to Pritam Singh’s case.
Some netizens pointed out the irony of Ho Ching’s statement, noting that her husband, then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, had known about former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin’s affair with MP Cheng Li Hui for two years before publicly addressing it, despite the clear conflict of interest.
They questioned whether similar standards of transparency should apply to that situation as well.
One user jokingly suggested that Ho Ching might have inadvertently been referring to Lee rather than Pritam Singh.
On 17 July, Tan and Cheng resigned from Parliament and the PAP due to their inappropriate relationship.
PM Lee, who is also PAP Secretary-General, revealed his awareness of their relationship after the 2020 general election, highlighting that despite advice to end it, both continued their involvement.
Netizens Cite TraceTogether Saga in Call for Government Transparency
Some netizens underscored the importance of government transparency and accountability, pointing to the TraceTogether saga as an example of a major untruth told in Parliament.
The TraceTogether system was introduced in 2020 as a COVID-19 contact-tracing tool, with then-Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative Vivian Balakrishnan initially assuring the public that the data would be used solely for contact tracing.
However, in January 2021, it was revealed in Parliament that law enforcement agencies could access TraceTogether data for criminal investigations, contradicting earlier reassurances about privacy protections.
Netizens Question Temasek CEO Salary Secrecy
Some netizens questioned whether withholding the truth—even without actively lying—could still be considered deception, suggesting that selective disclosure is just as problematic as outright dishonesty.
Others pointed to Ho Ching’s tenure as Temasek’s CEO, highlighting how her salary remained undisclosed despite Temasek being a sovereign fund tied to Singaporean public interest—an issue that has long been a point of contention.
They noted that while failing to disclose remuneration is not inherently dishonest, it enables the company to accuse others of spreading falsehoods when they speculate on the figures.
Redditors Debate Difference Between Honesty and Integrity
Some Redditors pointed out the distinction between honesty and integrity, arguing that honesty is simply about telling the truth, while integrity goes further by requiring one to do the right thing even when no one is watching.
Calls for Accountability Across Political Spectrum
Meanwhile, a comment pointed out that instead of taking a moral high ground, individuals—including ministers, parliament speakers, the Prime Minister, former PM, their families, and opposition members—should be open to public judgment.
A Redditor criticised Ho’s message, arguing that it conflates confidence with honesty and lacks substance.
The comment highlighted that both truthful individuals and liars can fumble or present their stories smoothly, rendering her statement meaningless. The user added that she seemed to be trying to sound profound while pushing a predetermined narrative about dishonesty.
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