SINGAPORE: On Wednesday (Dec 17), Leader of the House Indranee Rajah issued a statement saying that the convictions of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh will be debated in Parliament in January.
Her statement did not mince words. “Lying under oath is a serious matter… We cannot accept such standards in Singapore,” it read.
On Dec 4, the High Court dismissed Mr Singh’s appeal, upholding the Feb 17 verdict of Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan, finding the Workers’ Party chief guilty of two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee. The judge had imposed the maximum fine of $7,000 for each charge.
While Justice Steven Chong disagreed with a number of aspects of the judge’s assessment, he deemed the decision of Judge Tan to be sound and supported by the evidence.
The suit Mr Singh is involved in is connected to former WP MP Raeesah Khan, who stepped down from her position in 2021 after it was revealed that she had lied in Parliament.
Mr Singh paid his fine in full after the verdict was read. Speaking to the media afterwards, he admitted to being “disappointed” with the outcome, but said he accepted the decision of the High Court, adding that it had taken him “too long” to respond to Ms Khan’s lie.
House Leader’s statement
Ms Rajah said in yesterday’s statement: “It is necessary for Parliament to take notice of Mr Singh’s actions and convictions, and deliberate on an appropriate response. This matter will therefore be raised for discussion at the upcoming sitting of Parliament in January 2026.”
She added that what has transpired is a reminder to all Members of Parliament of their duty to uphold the rule of law and conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. It would not be possible for Singapore to maintain a healthy system of checks and balances unless all MPs, no matter which party they belong to, hold themselves to high standards of conduct.
“Whatever course of action the Workers’ Party may take, it is necessary for parliament to take notice of Mr Singh’s actions and convictions, and deliberate on an appropriate response,” she added.
The latest from the WP
In a Facebook post on Wednesday evening, the WP also said that it would provide further updates on its internal processes in due course. /TISG
