Former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who co-hosts the YouTube podcast Keluar Sekejap, has called Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) “immature” for criticising Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh’s appearance on the show and for objecting to the discussion of Singaporean politics on a foreign platform.
Khairy responded to the PAP’s assertion that “politics should stop at the water’s edge,” arguing that the party’s stance reflects double standards.
He noted that Singaporean state media, including Channel News Asia and The Straits Times, have interviewed him on Malaysia’s internal politics without issue.
“In fact, just two weeks ago, as a visiting fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies—a Singaporean think tank—I was invited to comment on a study involving UMNO,” said Khairy.
“So, I don’t understand—when they want to discuss other countries’ politics, that’s fine…but when it happens to them—when Pritam comes here to talk about the Singaporean election—suddenly it’s ‘foreign interference’.”
“I have many friends in Singapore, but PAP needs to grow up,” Khairy said during the 30 July episode of Keluar Sekejap.
Shahril questions whether PAP was “rattled” by Singh’s confident delivery
Co-host Shahril Hamdan, a former United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) leader, echoed Khairy’s sentiments.
He suggested the backlash likely came from a small segment of Singapore’s establishment who were uncomfortable with how well Singh performed on the podcast.
“To be fair, I don’t think that’s the majority view—it’s just a particular kind of view,” Shahril remarked.
Khairy added that this attitude likely reflects the view of the ruling party or a particular faction within it, noting that no content would be published on PAP-affiliated platforms without internal approval.
“Until this narrative is corrected—until the PAP stops being juvenile on this issue—I don’t think we’ll be heading to Singapore,” he said.
Both hosts also discussed the restrictions they might face if filming a live show in Singapore. They compared the freedom of expression they enjoy when recording in places like the United Kingdom, where they can speak and joke about sensitive topics freely, with what they fear would be a more constrained environment in Singapore.
Nevertheless, they expressed a willingness to bring their podcast to Singapore and neighbouring countries if conditions allow for open, honest discussion.
Singh earlier explained podcast participation
Singh’s appearance on the podcast aired on 24 June.
During the episode, he clarified that he had no ambition to become Prime Minister.
Instead, he aimed to “normalise the idea of an opposition in Singapore” by building a credible alternative. He likened the role of the opposition to an “insurance policy” for the country’s future.
Singh dismissed claims that the Workers’ Party (WP) lacked ambition and described the level of commitment and engagement required to operate within Singapore’s political landscape.
In a Facebook post on 28 June, Singh explained that he had been on a short break with his family at Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia.
While stopping by Kuala Lumpur to visit friends and relatives, he took the opportunity to appear on Khairy’s podcast to respond to earlier remarks made by the hosts about the WP’s General Election 2025 campaign strategy.
Singh expressed his appreciation to Khairy and Shahril for accepting his invitation and providing a platform to share his views.
PAP attacks Singh for Malaysian podcast interview, says ‘politics should stop at water’s edge’
The controversy began when Petir, a PAP-affiliated publication, published an article on 30 June criticising Singh’s decision to appear on a foreign podcast.
The piece described the move as “strange” and implied it was a deliberate attempt to externalise local political issues. It also questioned why Singh declined invitations from local podcasts while agreeing to speak extensively on a foreign platform.
The PAP followed up on 3 July 2025 with an official statement titled Politics should stop at the water’s edge, reiterating that domestic political matters should be debated solely by Singaporeans, within the country.
Citing the historical sensitivities between Singapore and Malaysia—including the racial unrest of the 1960s—it warned against foreign platforms influencing Singapore’s political discourse and stressed the need to protect national interests and sovereignty.
WP hits back at PAP over podcast criticisms, accuses it of “opposing for the sake of opposing”
In response, the WP rejected the PAP’s criticisms, accusing the ruling party of “opposing for the sake of opposing.”
It noted that Singh, as Leader of the Opposition, is not bound by diplomatic protocols, and there are no laws prohibiting him from engaging with foreign media.
The WP also pointed out the apparent double standards, highlighting that PAP ministers often speak to international media without facing similar scrutiny—and usually receive favourable coverage.
It further revealed that a PAP member had privately complimented Singh’s performance on the podcast. Photos also emerged showing PAP members posing with Khairy during a visit to Singapore.
Regarding the separate issue involving Malaysian-based Singaporean Islamic preacher Noor Deros, the WP reiterated that it had addressed the matter during the general election and released a public statement clarifying that no promises had been made.
Deros himself clarified on 26 April 2025 that his remarks had been misinterpreted and that no agreements were made.
Despite this, Petir continued its criticism on 5 July, accusing the WP of deflecting from legitimate concerns about its links to Deros and unsolicited endorsements from Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).
It argued that these issues touched directly on the integrity of Singapore’s political sovereignty.
While acknowledging that PAP ministers do speak to foreign media, Petir claimed they typically cover broader international topics.
In contrast, Singh’s interview, it said, was focused predominantly on domestic matters.
It concluded that the questions raised, both by Petir and in the PAP’s official statement, were “not trivial matters” and reflected fundamental concerns about the boundary between domestic politics and foreign influence.
The post ‘PAP needs to grow up’: Khairy Jamaluddin hits back at PAP’s attack on Pritam Singh’s podcast appearance appeared first on The Online Citizen.
