Singapore's main opposition leader, Pritam Singh, has lost his appeal against a conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee. Following this decision, a parliamentary vote resulted in the removal of his title as Leader of the Opposition. Singh maintains his innocence and will continue to serve as a Member of Parliament.
Court Decision and Conviction Details
On Friday, Pritam Singh, who leads the Workers' Party, had his appeal dismissed against a guilty verdict for two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee. In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 (approximately $10,800 USD) in connection with his management of former Workers' Party lawmaker Raeesah Khan. Ms. Khan had previously admitted to providing false information to parliament.
The case originated in 2021 when Ms. Khan made a false claim in parliament regarding police misconduct towards a sexual assault victim. She later admitted the anecdote was untrue. During a subsequent parliamentary committee investigation, Ms. Khan testified that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "continue with the narrative" despite their knowledge of its falsehood.
Ms. Khan has since resigned from the Workers' Party and parliament, incurring a S$35,000 fine for lying and abusing parliamentary privilege. The court's February ruling indicated that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" of a desire for Ms. Khan not to clarify her lie.
Parliamentary Action on Opposition Leader Title
Following the upholding of his conviction, a parliamentary vote on Wednesday resulted in the removal of Singh's title as Leader of the Opposition. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the decision, stating that Singh's continued tenure in the role was "no longer tenable."
Singh will retain his position as a Member of Parliament and secretary-general of the Workers' Party, which holds 12 of the 108 seats in parliament. However, he will lose associated privileges, including additional allowances and the right of first reply during parliamentary debates.
The motion to remove the title was supported by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP)-dominated parliament. All 11 Workers' Party members present voted against the motion. The parliament also agreed to review the implications for two other Workers' Party lawmakers at a later time.
The Leader of the House, Indranee Rajah, who initiated the debate, stated that Singh's actions "strike at the trust" Singaporeans place in parliament. During the debate, Singh asserted that his "conscience remains clear" and stated his disagreement with the resolution that his behavior was "dishonourable and unbecoming," vowing to continue his work as an MP.
Prime Minister Wong has invited the Workers' Party to nominate another MP for the Leader of the Opposition title. The Workers' Party stated it would deliberate on the matter and respond "in due course," having previously indicated an internal review regarding Singh's actions.
Appeal Arguments and Defense
During his appeal hearing in November, Singh maintained his innocence. His legal team argued that he intended to provide Ms. Khan time to address a sensitive issue. His lawyer also contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" and sought to question the credibility of Ms. Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.
When questioned by the judge about Singh's perceived inaction to prompt Ms. Khan to admit her lie, Singh's lawyer stated that Singh had other urgent professional and personal commitments. Conversely, the prosecution argued that Singh's inaction, combined with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Ms. Khan to retract her false statement.
Political Context
Singh's case is notable as one of the few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker in Singapore. He was the first person to hold the Leader of the Opposition title. Historically, critics have accused the Singaporean government of utilizing the judiciary against political opponents, a claim consistently denied by authorities.