Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap (Jawi: محمد فيصل بن عبد المناف; born 6 June 1975)[1] is a Singaporean politician. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), he has been the vice-chairperson of the party since 2016. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) between 2011 and 2025.
Between 1998 and 2002, Faisal worked as a technical officer in the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Between 2006 and 2010, he worked as a marriage/divorce counsellor for couples. As of 9 July 2010, he was calling himself a freelance counsellor, having "recently" resigned from the social work agency he had previously worked at.[2]
Political career
Faisal on a walkabout
Faisal joined the WP in February 2006.[2] He made his political debut during the 2011 general election as part of a five-member WP team contesting Aljunied GRC against the governing People's Action Party (PAP). The WP team won 54.72% of the vote, the first opposition victory in a GRC in Singaporean history.[3][4] He was subsequently assigned to the Kaki Bukit division of the GRC and became a full-time MP, retaining his seat during the 2015 and 2020 general elections.[5][6][7] Within the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council (AHTC), he served as chairperson of the Estate and Liaison Committee (2013–2018), chairperson of AHTC (2018–2021), and vice-chairperson of AHTC (2021–2022).[8][9]
During the 2025 general election, Faisal led a five-member WP team contesting Tampines GRC in a four-way contest against the PAP and two other opposition parties. They lost to the PAP team with 47.37% of the vote.[10]
Vice-chairpersonship of WP
Faisal was elected into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the WP as the party's vice-chairperson on 29 May 2016, replacing Mohammed Rahizan Yaacob.[11][12] He has since retained the position in subsequent CEC elections.[5]
Investigation for conduct before the Committee of Privileges
In November 2021, Raeesah Khan, then-MP for the Compassvale division of Sengkang GRC, resigned from the WP and Parliament after admitting that she had fabricated an account, which she later presented to Parliament as fact, of accompanying a victim of sexual assault to a police station. Her division was divided into three parts, each to be managed by one of the remaining three MPs for Sengkang GRC, while Faisal became a temporary advisor to the team of three. Party leader Pritam Singh claimed that the appointment of Faisal as an advisor addressed concerns on the lack of a minority MP for the GRC.[13][a]
In February 2022, in relation to Khan's resignation, the Committee of Privileges (COP), on account of Faisal and Singh's conduct before it, recommended that the two be referred to the Public Prosecutor for review to determine whether criminal proceedings should be brought against them.[15]
On 19 March 2024, the Public Prosecutor announced that they 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.[16] However, the previous day, the Singapore Police Force had formally issued an advisory to Faisal after consultation with the Public Prosecutor, 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]".[16][17]
Parliamentary representation
Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act
During the debate over a parliamentary bill to amend the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, Faisal argued with K. Shanmugam, Minister for Law and Home Affairs, over the separation of religion from politics;[18] during the argument, Faisal stated that he disagreed with the total separation of religion from politics. While saying that people "[should not] use religion for the benefit of politics", he argued that the intertwining of religion and politics in the formulation of policies was inevitable.[19][20]
Allowing uniformed Muslim women to wear tudungs at work
During his parliamentary career, Faisal persistently proposed to allow Muslim nurses and women in uniformed services to don the tudung, an Islamic headscarf, while working. In 2017, he was rebuked by Masagos Zulkifli, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, for "subtly and frequently needling" the Malay-Muslim community with the proposal. Masagos said that such topics should be discussed behind closed doors instead of in Parliament, as their publicity was capable of disrupting racial and religious harmony in Singapore.[21] In 2021, Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong announced that Muslim nurses in Singaporean public healthcare would be allowed to wear the tudung with their uniforms if they wished to.[22]
Repeal of Section 377A
In November 2022, 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,[23][24] but conveyed through Singh, on the first day of the parliamentary debate, that he opposed the motion to repeal as "a matter of religion and conscience".[24][25]
Wear White campaign
In June 2014, Faisal was seen alongside campaign organisers and supporters for the Wear White campaign, an anti-LGBT Muslim movement in Singapore opposing homosexuality and Pink Dot SG. He stated that he backed the movement in his personal capacity "as a Muslim individual", saying that it "[had] nothing to do with the party stand".[26]
Personal life
Faisal is married and has two sons and a daughter.[2][5] He enjoys fishing, bowling, and meals with his family.[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, stable and being monitored in intensive care, and that the remaining MPs for Aljunied GRC would take over his constituency duties temporarily.[27][28]
Notes
^Every team in a GRC is legally required to contain at least one minority (i.e. non-Chinese) candidate, either Malay or Indian/other (other being not Chinese, Malay or Indian). The mandatory minority category in a GRC is determined by the President. The number of GRCs requiring Malay candidates at a general election must be three-fifths of the total number of GRCs, or, if that is fractional, the next highest whole number.[14]
^ abSingh, Pritam (28 November 2022). "Parliament: Repeal of Section 377A". Office of the Leader of the Opposition. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. 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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