Disciplinary Panel Formed to Review Pritam Singh’s Conduct

The Workers’ Party (WP) has established a disciplinary panel to investigate the conduct of its secretary-general, Pritam Singh. The panel will include Members of Parliament He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim, along with former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat. This decision follows Singh’s conviction last year for lying to a parliamentary committee, raising significant questions about his leadership within the party.

The formation of this panel comes after a recent motion passed in Parliament, which acknowledged that the High Court judgment against Singh has implications for both Sylvia Lim, the party chair, and vice-chair Faisal Manap. These implications will be considered separately as the inquiry progresses.

Panel Composition and Context

Historically, disciplinary panels within the WP have been composed exclusively of members from the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s top decision-making body. The inclusion of Png Eng Huat, who served as the MP for Hougang from 2012 until 2020, is notable. As a former MP, his presence may lend additional weight to the proceedings, even though he is no longer a member of the CEC.

According to party insiders, the composition of disciplinary panels is rarely made public. One cadre noted that “in all past incidents, the panels comprised CEC members,” suggesting that Png’s inclusion is an unusual but strategic choice.

Inquiry Timeline and Future Implications

The WP announced earlier this month that the disciplinary panel’s primary role will be to determine whether Singh has violated the party’s constitution. The CEC has set a deadline of three months for this inquiry to be completed.

In February, over 20 party cadres signed a letter advocating for a special conference to discuss Singh’s role as party chief. However, the CEC has decided to postpone this conference until after the disciplinary process concludes, emphasizing the importance of due process in handling the situation.

Last week, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong removed Singh from his position as Leader of the Opposition, following the parliamentary vote that deemed him unsuitable for the role due to his conviction. Wong has since invited the WP to nominate another elected MP to take over this critical position.

Political analysts suggest that the WP is likely to await the outcome of the disciplinary inquiry before making any further decisions regarding leadership. As the investigation unfolds, the political landscape within the WP and its future direction hang in the balance.

CNA has reached out to the Workers’ Party and the members of the disciplinary panel for further comments.