Singapore Parliament Considers Response to Pritam Singh’s Conviction

The Singapore Parliament is set to deliberate on the conduct of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh following his conviction for lying under oath during proceedings of the Committee of Privileges (COP). This matter, which has been under scrutiny for over four years, stems from a false account given by former Workers’ Party (WP) MP Raeesah Khan in August 2021.

On August 3, 2021, Ms Khan, then representing Sengkang GRC, made a speech during a WP motion regarding women’s empowerment. She recounted an experience of accompanying a sexual assault survivor to the police station. However, when pressed for details, she claimed to have lost contact with the survivor and did not wish to “re-traumatize” her. Just four days later, Ms Khan admitted to Mr Singh that her story was fabricated.

The situation intensified when, on November 1, 2021, Ms Khan publicly confessed to lying about her involvement with the survivor. She clarified that she had heard the story in a support group, intending to share it without disclosing her own history as a survivor. In response, the Leader of the House, Indranee Rajah, formally raised a complaint, leading to an investigation by the COP.

On February 10, 2022, the COP concluded that Ms Khan had abused parliamentary privilege and recommended a fine of S$35,000. It also suggested that Mr Singh be referred to the public prosecutor for further investigation regarding his handling of the matter. Subsequently, on April 29, 2022, the public prosecutor referred Mr Singh’s case to the police.

The legal proceedings culminated in charges against Mr Singh on March 19, 2024, under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act. After a trial that ran from October 14 to November 8, 2024, he was convicted of two counts of lying to the COP on February 17, 2025. The court imposed the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each count. During the sentencing, Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan emphasized the importance of honesty under oath.

Following his conviction, Mr Singh expressed disappointment but accepted the ruling. He acknowledged that he had taken too long to respond to Ms Khan’s false statement. In the May 3, 2025, general election, he retained his seat in Parliament, leading the WP’s five-member slate to victory in Aljunied GRC.

On December 4, 2025, the High Court dismissed Mr Singh’s appeal, upholding his conviction. Justice Steven Chong stated that the evidence supported the decision, noting that Mr Singh had hoped to avoid addressing Ms Khan’s untruth.

As a result of these developments, Indranee Rajah highlighted the seriousness of lying under oath in a media statement. She indicated that the court’s judgments would have implications for other WP leaders, including Ms Lim and Mr Faisal Manap, and confirmed that these matters would be addressed in Parliament.

On December 28, 2025, the WP announced that a special conference would be convened following a request from over 20 party cadres, with Mr Singh’s position as party chief on the agenda. In early January 2026, the Central Executive Committee established a disciplinary panel to assess whether Mr Singh had violated the party’s constitution.

The timeline for the disciplinary process is set to conclude within three months, after which a notice for the special conference will be issued. On January 9, 2026, Indranee filed a motion for Parliament to consider Mr Singh as unsuitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition and for MPs to express regret over his conduct.

The outcome of these parliamentary deliberations will be closely watched, as they may set significant precedents regarding accountability and transparency within Singapore’s political landscape.