SINGAPORE: Mr Pritam Singh's future as the secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP) will be on the agenda at a special cadres conference on Jun 28, where he will face a secret vote on his position if he does not offer to step down, CNA has learnt.
A notice sent to cadres, seen by CNA, said the conference will be held “arising from a requisition from 25 cadre members”.
Earlier this year, the party’s central executive committee issued Mr Singh a letter of reprimand, following an internal disciplinary process stemming from his court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
The notice to cadres laid out the three-part agenda for the meeting later this month.
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First up is for Mr Singh to “account to cadre members on convicted charges of lying to the parliamentary committee of privileges per Singapore High Court judgment to uphold conviction”.
Secondly, the cadres are calling for Mr Singh to step down immediately as secretary-general for breaching Article 30 of the party’s constitution – to be "honest and frank in all his dealings with the party and the people of Singapore".
If Mr Singh does not do so, there will be “a secret vote by cadres to decide if the secretary-general is to remain or step down”, according to the third item on the agenda.
The chairperson for the special cadres conference, which will be held at noon, is WP’s policy research head Gerald Giam.
The party’s biennial ordinary cadre members’ conference will also be held at 3pm that day, during which cadres will elect the party’s secretary-general, chairperson and 12 members to its top decision-making body, the central executive committee.
The previous three CEC elections were held in December 2020, November 2022 and June 2024.
When contacted by CNA, the WP said it had no comment.
Mr Singh has been re-elected unopposed as party chief in the biennial vote since he took over from his predecessor Low Thia Khiang in 2018.
Cadres are members who hold voting rights to directly elect the CEC and have the power to decide the party’s leadership.
A group of them had first signed a letter at the end of last year calling for the special meeting.
Earlier this year, the party said it would call for the conference within two weeks after the conclusion of the party’s disciplinary process towards Mr Singh, stemming from his court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
The party announced on Apr 30 that its central executive committee had handed Mr Singh a formal letter of reprimand following an internal disciplinary process.
The disciplinary panel found that Mr Singh had contravened Articles 20(1) and 30 of the party constitution – which relate to members' conduct and discipline – based on the court’s findings. The central executive committee said it accepted the panel’s findings.
However, the party leadership also assessed that Mr Singh did not intend to act against the party's principles, aims or interests.
The disciplinary panel comprised Sengkang GRC MPs Jamus Lim and He Ting Ru, as well as former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat.
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A notice sent to cadres, seen by CNA, said the conference will be held “arising from a requisition from 25 cadre members”.
Earlier this year, the party’s central executive committee issued Mr Singh a letter of reprimand, following an internal disciplinary process stemming from his court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
The notice to cadres laid out the three-part agenda for the meeting later this month.
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
First up is for Mr Singh to “account to cadre members on convicted charges of lying to the parliamentary committee of privileges per Singapore High Court judgment to uphold conviction”.
Secondly, the cadres are calling for Mr Singh to step down immediately as secretary-general for breaching Article 30 of the party’s constitution – to be "honest and frank in all his dealings with the party and the people of Singapore".
If Mr Singh does not do so, there will be “a secret vote by cadres to decide if the secretary-general is to remain or step down”, according to the third item on the agenda.
The chairperson for the special cadres conference, which will be held at noon, is WP’s policy research head Gerald Giam.
The party’s biennial ordinary cadre members’ conference will also be held at 3pm that day, during which cadres will elect the party’s secretary-general, chairperson and 12 members to its top decision-making body, the central executive committee.
The previous three CEC elections were held in December 2020, November 2022 and June 2024.
When contacted by CNA, the WP said it had no comment.
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Mr Singh has been re-elected unopposed as party chief in the biennial vote since he took over from his predecessor Low Thia Khiang in 2018.
Cadres are members who hold voting rights to directly elect the CEC and have the power to decide the party’s leadership.
A group of them had first signed a letter at the end of last year calling for the special meeting.
Earlier this year, the party said it would call for the conference within two weeks after the conclusion of the party’s disciplinary process towards Mr Singh, stemming from his court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
The party announced on Apr 30 that its central executive committee had handed Mr Singh a formal letter of reprimand following an internal disciplinary process.
The disciplinary panel found that Mr Singh had contravened Articles 20(1) and 30 of the party constitution – which relate to members' conduct and discipline – based on the court’s findings. The central executive committee said it accepted the panel’s findings.
However, the party leadership also assessed that Mr Singh did not intend to act against the party's principles, aims or interests.
The disciplinary panel comprised Sengkang GRC MPs Jamus Lim and He Ting Ru, as well as former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat.
Continue reading...