On 23 October 2024, Low Thia Khiang, former leader of the Workers’ Party (WP), testified in the trial of his successor, Pritam Singh. Singh is accused of misleading a parliamentary committee regarding his handling of former WP Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan’s false statements made in parliament in 2021.
During his testimony, Low detailed a meeting he had with Singh and WP chair Sylvia Lim on 11 October 2021, after Lim informed him that Khan had lied in parliament.
Low said he advised both leaders that Khan should apologise and clarify the lie directly in parliament.
“I said that since Ms Khan lied in parliament, the correct forum to apologise and to clarify is parliament,” Low told the court.
He recalled Lim mentioning the possibility of holding a press conference for Khan’s apology, but he advised against it, emphasising that parliament was the appropriate venue.
Low also testified about a discussion during the same meeting regarding whether the government was aware of Khan’s lie.
According to Low, Lim had said that it was unlikely the government knew, as there were “so many police stations in Singapore” and the truth could be difficult to uncover. However, Low dismissed this reasoning, stating, “It’s not the point whether or not the government can (find) out. If she tells a lie, I think she should apologise.”
During the examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tan Ben Mathias, Low was asked whether Singh or Lim informed him that they had already advised Khan to clarify her untruth in parliament.
Low responded, “No.”
He was further questioned about whether either Singh or Lim had told him that Singh had visited Khan’s house on 3 October 2021 to instruct her to address the matter in parliament the next day.
Low again replied, “No.”
“During this meeting, did Pritam Singh or Sylvia Lim tell you that they had already told Raeesah Khan to speak to her parents about the sexual assault?” DPP Tan asked.
Low responded, “No.”
DPP Tan then inquired further, asking if Low had been informed that Singh had visited Khan’s house on 3 October 2021 and instructed her to clarify the untruth in parliament the next day.
Low again replied, “No.”
Additionally, when asked if Lim had mentioned anything about Khan’s sexual assault, Low answered, “No.”
Low also recounted a subsequent meeting on 18 October 2021 with Lim, where she informed him that Khan had agreed to apologise in parliament.
Low said he advised Lim to review Khan’s draft apologies first, explaining, “I told her that we would want to look at her draft apologies… because I do not want an apology (to) end up with another lie.”
During his testimony, Low shared that he only learned in August 2023 that Singh, Lim, and WP vice-chair Faisal Manap had known about Khan’s lie as early as 8 August 2021.
When asked by DPP Tan what his reaction was to discovering this, Low said, “I was wondering why take so long,” adding that it was puzzling why it took so long for the leadership to reveal this information.
The prosecution then explored Low’s suggestion that the WP form a disciplinary panel to investigate Khan’s lie.
He revealed that he made this suggestion either on the day or the day after Khan apologised for her falsehood in parliament on 1 November 2021. Low said that he proposed the panel should comprise the party chair, vice-chair, and secretary-general, namely Lim, Faisal, and Singh.
When asked if he knew at the time that these three party leaders had been aware of the lie since shortly after it was first told, Low reiterated, “No, I only found out in August 2023.”
The prosecution’s questioning of Low concluded after approximately 20 minutes, following which the court took a brief 15-minute recess.
When proceedings resumed, the defence, led by Mr Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, began cross-examining Low. Eng asked only one question: “Mr Low, do you agree that a lie that’s been told on record in parliament would have to be clarified in parliament?”
After asking for the question to be repeated, Low replied, “Yes, I think so.” Eng then informed the court, “No further questions, your honour.”
With no further questions from the prosecution, Low was released from the stand.
The next witness scheduled to testify was the police investigation officer. However, Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock requested that this be postponed, and the defence did not object.
Both parties agreed to have the officer on standby for the trial’s resumption the next day.
Defence counsel Andre Jumabhoy informed the court that he would request time to submit written statements after the final witness testified.
Additionally, the court granted an application by the defence to vacate the morning session on 24 October 2024 to allow Singh to attend his daughter’s graduation ceremony, where she is scheduled to give a speech.
As the questioning of the investigation officer is expected to be brief, the trial will resume at 11.30am on 24 October.
