Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap (Jawi: محمد فيصل بن عبد المناف; born 6 June 1975)[1][2] is a Singaporean politician. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), he has been the vice-chairperson of the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) since 2016. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) from 2011 to 2025 and an advisor for the Compassvale division of Sengkang GRC from 2021 to 2025.[3]
Between 1998 and 2002, Faisal worked as a technical officer in the Housing and Development Board (HDB). From 2006 to 2010, he worked as a freelance marriage and divorce counsellor for couples.[5]
Political career
Faisal on a walkabout
Faisal joined the WP in February 2006[5] and first entered politics during the 2011 general election as part of a five-member WP team contesting in Aljunied GRC against the governing People's Action Party (PAP). The WP team won with 54.72% of the vote, the first opposition victory in a GRC in Singaporean history.[6][7] He was subsequently assigned to the Kaki Bukit division of the GRC.[8] The WP retained Aljunied GRC in the subsequent general elections.[9][10] Within the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council, Faisal served as chairman of the Estate and Liaison Committee (2013–2018), chairperson (2018–2021), and vice-chairperson (2021–2022).[11][12]
Faisal was elected vice-chairperson of the CEC on 29 May 2016, taking over the position from Mohammed Rahizan Yaacob.[15][16] He has since retained the position in subsequent CEC elections.[8]
Investigation for conduct before the Committee of Privileges
Following Raeesah Khan's admission to lying to Parliament in November 2021, in February 2022 the Committee of Privileges (COP) recommended that Faisal and Pritam Singh be referred to the Public Prosecutor for review so as to determine if criminal proceedings ought to be brought against them for their conduct before the COP.
On 19 March 2024, the Public Prosecutor announced that it would not pursue charges against Faisal for his refusal to answer questions asked by the COP, unlike Singh, who pleaded not guilty to the two charges levied against him of lying to a parliamentary committee. However, after consultation with the Public Prosecutor, the police formally issued an advisory to Faisal on 18 March 2024, advising him to "familiarise himself with the conduct expected of Members of Parliament" and "to refrain from any act that may be in breach of [the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962]".[17][18]
Parliamentary representation
Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act
During the debate over a parliamentary bill to amend the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, Faisal had a heated exchange with Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam over the separation of religion from politics,[19] in which Faisal stated that he disagreed with the total separation of religion from politics. He argued that the intertwining of religion and politics in the formulation of policies was inevitable, despite saying that people "[should not] use religion for the benefit of politics".[20][21]
Tudung issue
Since he was elected to Parliament in 2011, Faisal persistently raised the issue of allowing Muslim nurses and women in uniformed services to don the tudung in the course of their duty. In 2017, Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli rebuked Faisal for "subtly and frequently needling" the Malay-Muslim community with this issue. Masagos said that such issues should not be discussed in Parliament, arguing that the matter should be resolved behind closed doors instead as its publicity was capable of disrupting racial and religious harmony in Singapore.[22] In 2021, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Muslim nurses in Singapore's public healthcare sector would be allowed to wear a tudung with their uniforms if they wished to.[23]
Repeal of Section 377A
In November 2022, the Parliament came to a vote on repealing Section 377A of the Penal Code, a law that criminalised sex between consenting adult males. Faisal was absent due to a COVID-19 infection,[24][25] but had conveyed through Pritam Singh, on the first day of the parliamentary debate, that he opposed said repeal as "a matter of religion and conscience".[25][26][27][28]
Personal life
Faisal is married and has three children (two sons and a daughter).[5]
On 24 July 2023, Faisal was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital due to a cardiac condition. The WP stated on Facebook that he was conscious, in a stable condition and being monitored and taken care of in intensive care, and that the remaining MPs for Aljunied GRC would take over his constituency duties temporarily.[29][30]
Wear White campaign
In June 2014, Faisal was seen alongside campaign organisers and supporters at a Wear White campaign, an anti-LGBT movement in Singapore that opposes homosexuality and Pink Dot SG. Faisal clarified that he backed the movement in his personal capacity "as a Muslim individual", saying, "It has nothing to do with the party stand."[31]
^ abSingh, Pritam (28 November 2022). "Parliament: Repeal of Section 377A". Office of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Faisal disagrees with the repeal of 377A as a matter of religion and conscience [...] All the Workers' Party MPs, apart from Mr Faisal Manap who is down with COVID-19, put their personal positions on the record.
^"WP's Faisal supports Wear White". AsiaOne. 5 July 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021. Speaking to The Straits Times at his meet-the-people session in Bedok North, he said: 'It has nothing to do with the party stand.' 'I support the movement because it's my responsibility to show concern for my fellow Muslims, asking them to do some introspection on whether what they're doing is in accordance with Islamic values. That's the campaign's main calling.' His comments came in the wake of three photographs this week showing him wearing a white songkok (traditional headgear) and white jubah (ankle-length robe) alongside the campaign organisers and supporters...
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency/seat he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; WP: The Workers' Party; PSP: Progress Singapore Party All of the leaders of the respective GRCs are in underline. MP(s) who is go on a leave of absence is in italic. NMPs do not belong to any party.
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; WP: The Workers' Party NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; SPP: Singapore People's Party; WP: The Workers' Party For NCMPs, Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong are from the WP, while Lina Loh is from the SPP. NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.
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