SINGAPORE – Bukit Panjang SMC MP Liang Eng Hwa has been diagnosed with nose cancer, and will be undergoing daily radiotherapy treatments for the next seven weeks.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Liang said he had been experiencing muffled hearing in his left ear for months, which prompted a visit to an ear, nose and throat doctor.
Upon doing a nasal endoscopy and biopsy, and undergoing subsequent computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans, it was discovered that he had early-stage nose cancer.
“As there are expected side effects from the radiation, I may need to take time off from some community activities and duties in the next couple of months,” Mr Liang said.
The 59-year-old sits on two government parliamentary committees (GPCs) – he chairs the GPC for Finance and Trade and Industry, and is a member of the GPC for Manpower.
Reassuring residents in his single-seat Bukit Panjang constituency, Mr Liang said MPs from Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, namely Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Mr Edward Chia, will cover the duties that he is unable to attend to.
“Our Bukit Panjang grassroots team will also step up during my absence to continue serving our residents and to continue our community programmes and activities,” Mr Liang said.
“I will do my best during the treatment in the next two months. Look forward to joining back fully soon. Thank you.”
Mr Liang’s announcement of his diagnosis comes two days after Aljunied GRC MP and Workers’ Party (WP) vice-chairman Faisal Manap, 48, was hospitalised for a cardiac condition.
The WP said on Tuesday that Mr Faisal is conscious and in stable condition, and is being monitored and cared for in the intensive care unit.
Expressing his good wishes on Facebook for the two MPs, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Alvin Tan said: “Wishing our dear parliamentary colleagues Faisal and Eng Hwa speedy recoveries.
“It’s been a rough July but we’ll get through it.”
In November 2021, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng was also diagnosed with nose cancer.
The 52-year-old found out about it after a regular eye check for glaucoma, which discovered a small area of limited vision in his right eye.
Subsequent tests found a cancerous tumour in his right nasal passage.
As it was stage one nose cancer, he did not need to go through chemotherapy. Instead, he underwent radiotherapy and was cleared of the cancer in April 2022.
