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SINGAPORE: After 4.5 years of committee inquiries, internal probes and a court case, the matter of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's handling of the lies by a junior Workers' Party member has come full circle back to parliament.
Here is a look at how the events unfolded.
It began with a lie by former WP MP Raeesah Khan in parliament on Aug 3, 2021.
Raeesah Khan arrives at the State Courts on Oct 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Back then, Ms Khan – a Sengkang GRC MP at the time – gave a speech during a WP motion on empowering women, during which she talked about accompanying a sexual assault survivor to the police station three years earlier.
When asked for more details so that authorities could investigate, Ms Khan said she did not wish to re-traumatise the survivor, nor did she manage to contact the woman since the incident.
On Aug 7, Ms Khan admitted to Mr Singh over the phone that her anecdote was untrue.
The next day, she met with Mr Singh and party chair Sylvia Lim and vice-chair Faisal Manap, and informed them she had lied. She later alleged that the WP leaders agreed at the meeting that “the best thing to do is take the information to the grave”.
On Oct 4 that year, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam called on Ms Khan to provide further details about the case. Ms Khan declined, citing the need for confidentiality.
Coordinating Minister for National Security and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam giving a media doorstop at Al-Istiqamah Mosque on Sep 25, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
When asked by Mr Shanmugam, who was then the Law Minister, to confirm she had accompanied the victim to the police station, Ms Khan said yes.
On a Nov 1 sitting of parliament, Ms Khan gave a statement admitting she had lied about accompanying the survivor to the police station. She had in fact heard the anecdote in a support group and wanted to share the account, without revealing that she herself was a sexual assault survivor.
Leader of the House Indranee Rajah then raised a complaint under the Standing Orders of Parliament, and the matter was referred to the Committee of Privileges (COP).
The next day, the WP announced a disciplinary panel to look into Ms Khan’s admissions. The panel comprised Mr Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Faisal.
The Workers' Party's Mr Faisal Manap and Ms Sylvia Lim at hearings by Parliament's Committee of Privileges on Dec 9 and Dec 13, 2021. (Images: YouTube/gov.sg)
Ms Khan resigned from the party and as an MP on Nov 30, and the WP leaders held a press conference to explain the events on Dec 2.
Mr Singh said during the session that the party leadership had learned about Ms Khan’s lies a week after her Aug 3 speech, adding that she repeated the untruth despite being asked to clarify the matter.
On Dec 10 and Dec 15, the COP heard Mr Singh’s oral testimony on the matter.
On Feb 10, 2022, the COP released its findings, deeming Ms Khan guilty of abusing parliamentary privilege and recommending that she be fined S$35,000 for lying in parliament and then repeating the lie.
It also proposed that Mr Singh be referred to the public prosecutor for further investigations, "with a view to considering if criminal proceedings ought to be instituted in respect of his conduct before the Committee”.
MPs then debated the committee’s findings in parliament on Feb 15. After over four hours, the House voted to proceed with the COP’s recommendations.
On Apr 29, the public prosecutor referred Mr Singh’s case to the police for investigations.
Mr Singh was charged in court on Mar 19 under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act for lying to the COP. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
A general view of Parliament House in Singapore on Jun 2, 2016. (File photo: Reuters/Edgar Su)
The trial opened at the State Courts on Oct 14 and ran until Nov 8, with the cross-examination of Mr Singh ending after three days.
On Feb 17 last year, Mr Singh was convicted of both charges of lying to parliament and sentenced to the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each charge.
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan laid out his decision in a hearing that lasted over two hours, saying: “The court must send a message on the importance of giving truthful information when under oath.”
Mr Singh appealed against his conviction and sentence.
In last year’s May 3 general election, Mr Singh retained his seat as a MP after leading the WP’s five-member slate to victory in Aljunied GRC.
The High Court of Singapore, where S Iswaran’s corruption trial will begin on Sep 24, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
On Dec 4, the High Court dismissed Mr Singh’s appeal.
In a brief hearing lasting less than 10 minutes, Justice Steven Chong upheld Mr Singh’s conviction, saying the decision to convict him on both charges was supported by the evidence in the case.
He said that Mr Singh “was hoping he did not have to deal with the untruth" by Ms Khan.
Mr Singh told the media after court adjourned that he was disappointed with the verdict, but respected and accepted it “fully and without reservation”. He added that he had taken “too long” to respond to Ms Khan’s lie in parliament and took responsibility for that.
On Dec 17, Ms Indranee said parliament will deliberate on an "appropriate response" to Mr Singh's actions and convictions.
"Lying under oath is a serious matter. In some countries, leaders who have lied, cheated or flagrantly broken the law still escape any legal or political consequences. We cannot accept such standards in Singapore," Ms Indranee said in a media statement.
Ms Indranee then said on Dec 22 that the court judgments in Mr Singh's case have "implications" for Ms Lim and Mr Faisal, and the matter will also be discussed at the next parliament sitting.
On Dec 28, the WP confirmed that party cadres had requested a special conference to be held.
CNA understands that over 20 cadres signed a letter calling for the special conference to be held in February, and that Mr Singh's position as the party chief is on the agenda.
On Jan 3, the party’s top decision-making body – the Central Executive Committee – announced that a disciplinary panel would be formed to determine if Mr Singh has contravened the party’s constitution.
The Workers' Party headquarters at Teambuild Centre along Geylang Road in Singapore on Dec 23, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)
It also concluded that it would be appropriate to call for the special conference only after the panel has completed its work due to the “need for due process”.
“To prevent undue delay, the CEC has set a timeline that the disciplinary process be concluded within three months,” the party said in a media statement, adding that a notice of the special conference would then be issued within two weeks after the disciplinary process is completed.
On Jan 9, Ms Indranee filed the motion for parliament to consider Mr Singh unsuitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition and for MPs to express regret at his conduct.
Source: CNA/fk
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FAST
SINGAPORE: After 4.5 years of committee inquiries, internal probes and a court case, the matter of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's handling of the lies by a junior Workers' Party member has come full circle back to parliament.
Here is a look at how the events unfolded.
2021
It began with a lie by former WP MP Raeesah Khan in parliament on Aug 3, 2021.
Raeesah Khan arrives at the State Courts on Oct 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Back then, Ms Khan – a Sengkang GRC MP at the time – gave a speech during a WP motion on empowering women, during which she talked about accompanying a sexual assault survivor to the police station three years earlier.
When asked for more details so that authorities could investigate, Ms Khan said she did not wish to re-traumatise the survivor, nor did she manage to contact the woman since the incident.
On Aug 7, Ms Khan admitted to Mr Singh over the phone that her anecdote was untrue.
The next day, she met with Mr Singh and party chair Sylvia Lim and vice-chair Faisal Manap, and informed them she had lied. She later alleged that the WP leaders agreed at the meeting that “the best thing to do is take the information to the grave”.
On Oct 4 that year, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam called on Ms Khan to provide further details about the case. Ms Khan declined, citing the need for confidentiality.
Coordinating Minister for National Security and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam giving a media doorstop at Al-Istiqamah Mosque on Sep 25, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
When asked by Mr Shanmugam, who was then the Law Minister, to confirm she had accompanied the victim to the police station, Ms Khan said yes.
On a Nov 1 sitting of parliament, Ms Khan gave a statement admitting she had lied about accompanying the survivor to the police station. She had in fact heard the anecdote in a support group and wanted to share the account, without revealing that she herself was a sexual assault survivor.
Leader of the House Indranee Rajah then raised a complaint under the Standing Orders of Parliament, and the matter was referred to the Committee of Privileges (COP).
The next day, the WP announced a disciplinary panel to look into Ms Khan’s admissions. The panel comprised Mr Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Faisal.
The Workers' Party's Mr Faisal Manap and Ms Sylvia Lim at hearings by Parliament's Committee of Privileges on Dec 9 and Dec 13, 2021. (Images: YouTube/gov.sg)
Ms Khan resigned from the party and as an MP on Nov 30, and the WP leaders held a press conference to explain the events on Dec 2.
Mr Singh said during the session that the party leadership had learned about Ms Khan’s lies a week after her Aug 3 speech, adding that she repeated the untruth despite being asked to clarify the matter.
On Dec 10 and Dec 15, the COP heard Mr Singh’s oral testimony on the matter.
2022
On Feb 10, 2022, the COP released its findings, deeming Ms Khan guilty of abusing parliamentary privilege and recommending that she be fined S$35,000 for lying in parliament and then repeating the lie.
It also proposed that Mr Singh be referred to the public prosecutor for further investigations, "with a view to considering if criminal proceedings ought to be instituted in respect of his conduct before the Committee”.
MPs then debated the committee’s findings in parliament on Feb 15. After over four hours, the House voted to proceed with the COP’s recommendations.
On Apr 29, the public prosecutor referred Mr Singh’s case to the police for investigations.
2024
Mr Singh was charged in court on Mar 19 under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act for lying to the COP. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
A general view of Parliament House in Singapore on Jun 2, 2016. (File photo: Reuters/Edgar Su)
The trial opened at the State Courts on Oct 14 and ran until Nov 8, with the cross-examination of Mr Singh ending after three days.
2025
On Feb 17 last year, Mr Singh was convicted of both charges of lying to parliament and sentenced to the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each charge.
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan laid out his decision in a hearing that lasted over two hours, saying: “The court must send a message on the importance of giving truthful information when under oath.”
Mr Singh appealed against his conviction and sentence.
In last year’s May 3 general election, Mr Singh retained his seat as a MP after leading the WP’s five-member slate to victory in Aljunied GRC.
The High Court of Singapore, where S Iswaran’s corruption trial will begin on Sep 24, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
On Dec 4, the High Court dismissed Mr Singh’s appeal.
In a brief hearing lasting less than 10 minutes, Justice Steven Chong upheld Mr Singh’s conviction, saying the decision to convict him on both charges was supported by the evidence in the case.
He said that Mr Singh “was hoping he did not have to deal with the untruth" by Ms Khan.
Mr Singh told the media after court adjourned that he was disappointed with the verdict, but respected and accepted it “fully and without reservation”. He added that he had taken “too long” to respond to Ms Khan’s lie in parliament and took responsibility for that.
On Dec 17, Ms Indranee said parliament will deliberate on an "appropriate response" to Mr Singh's actions and convictions.
"Lying under oath is a serious matter. In some countries, leaders who have lied, cheated or flagrantly broken the law still escape any legal or political consequences. We cannot accept such standards in Singapore," Ms Indranee said in a media statement.
Ms Indranee then said on Dec 22 that the court judgments in Mr Singh's case have "implications" for Ms Lim and Mr Faisal, and the matter will also be discussed at the next parliament sitting.
On Dec 28, the WP confirmed that party cadres had requested a special conference to be held.
CNA understands that over 20 cadres signed a letter calling for the special conference to be held in February, and that Mr Singh's position as the party chief is on the agenda.
2026
On Jan 3, the party’s top decision-making body – the Central Executive Committee – announced that a disciplinary panel would be formed to determine if Mr Singh has contravened the party’s constitution.
The Workers' Party headquarters at Teambuild Centre along Geylang Road in Singapore on Dec 23, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)
It also concluded that it would be appropriate to call for the special conference only after the panel has completed its work due to the “need for due process”.
“To prevent undue delay, the CEC has set a timeline that the disciplinary process be concluded within three months,” the party said in a media statement, adding that a notice of the special conference would then be issued within two weeks after the disciplinary process is completed.
On Jan 9, Ms Indranee filed the motion for parliament to consider Mr Singh unsuitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition and for MPs to express regret at his conduct.
Source: CNA/fk
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