Indian-origin opposition leader in Singapore, Pritam Singh, was found guilty on Monday of giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee, a verdict that could see him disqualified from Parliament and affect his ability to contest the upcoming general election.
Deputy principal district judge Luke Tan convicted Singh on two charges related to his handling of a case involving Raeesah Khan, a former lawmaker from his Workers’ Party, who was found to have lied in Parliament. As per PTI, Singh was accused of wilfully providing false answers to the committee of privileges (COP) during its inquiry into Khan’s case on December 10 and December 15, 2021.
The case stemmed from Khan’s false claim in Parliament, where she alleged that she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to the police station and witnessed insensitive comments by an officer. However, the claim was later debunked, leading to her resignation from Parliament.
Judge Tan, in his ruling, stated that Singh had not taken sufficient steps to ensure Khan admitted to her falsehood and dismissed Singh’s defence that he was unaware of the fabricated story.
According to AFP, the judge also accepted Khan’s testimony that Singh had told her to “take the lie to the grave.”
Potential disqualification from elections
Singh, 48, now faces a potential prison sentence of up to three years, a fine of up to SGD 7,000 ($5,290), or both for each charge. Under Singapore’s constitution, a person fined at least SGD 10,000 ($7,400) or jailed for at least one year is disqualified from contesting elections and holding a parliamentary seat for five years.
The prosecution has indicated that it will seek a fine for each charge, as per AFP.
This conviction is a significant setback for Singapore’s opposition, particularly ahead of a general election that must be called by November 2025. Singh’s Workers’ Party achieved a historic victory in the 2020 elections, winning 10 seats in Parliament, marking its best performance since independence.
Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed since 1959, continues to dominate the political scene, but the Workers’ Party had been seen as a growing opposition force. The upcoming election will be the first major political test for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
