Singapore’s parliament has voted to remove Pritam Singh from his role as Leader of the Opposition, following his recent conviction for giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee. The decision was made during a parliamentary session on Wednesday (January 14), where the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) holds a dominant majority. Although Singh will remain a Member of Parliament and continue as secretary-general of the Workers’ Party (WP), he will forfeit benefits tied to the opposition leadership role, including extra allowances and priority speaking rights in debates.&nbsp;Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (January 15) that, given the conviction and the parliamentary vote, it was no longer appropriate for Singh to continue in the position. He added that the Workers’ Party was welcome to put forward another MP to assume the title. Singh has denied any wrongdoing throughout the process and insists he acted in good faith. During the debate, he rejected claims that his conduct was dishonourable, saying that his conscience was clear and affirming his commitment to serving residents as an MP.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seizes-sixth-venezuela-linked-tanker-ahead-of-trump-s-meeting-with-maria-corina-machado-1768484816935">US seizes sixth Venezuela-linked tanker ahead of Trump's meeting with Maria Corina Machado</a>&nbsp;The motion to strip him of the title passed after roughly three hours of debate, with all 11 Workers’ Party MPs present voting against it. Parliament also agreed to examine the status of two other WP lawmakers at a later date. Indranee Rajah, the Leader of the House who brought forward the motion, argued that Singh’s actions undermined public confidence in parliament and criticised him for not accepting responsibility.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-f-16v-authorities-say-they-have-not-been-able-to-locate-the-pilot-1768487738931/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-f-16v-authorities-say-they-have-not-been-able-to-locate-the-pilot-1768487738931/embed</a>&nbsp;Singh’s conviction is notable, as criminal cases involving sitting opposition MPs in Singapore are rare. He was also the first individual appointed to the formal role of Leader of the Opposition, a position created in 2020. Singapore’s government has previously faced accusations from critics that legal institutions are used to suppress political rivals, allegations that authorities have consistently rejected.&nbsp;Responding briefly to questions from the BBC via text message, Singh wrote: “#WeContinue.” The Workers’ Party said it would consider the matter and issue a response later. The party currently holds 12 of the 108 seats in parliament and has said it is conducting its own internal review into Singh’s actions.

Singapore Parliament votes to remove Pritam Singh as leader of Opposition after giving false testimony

Singapore’s parliament has voted to remove Pritam Singh from his role as Leader of the Opposition, following his recent conviction for giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee. The decision was made during a parliamentary session on Wednesday (January 14), where the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) holds a dominant majority. Although Singh will remain a Member of Parliament and continue as secretary-general of the Workers’ Party (WP), he will forfeit benefits tied to the opposition leadership role, including extra allowances and priority speaking rights in debates. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (January 15) that, given the conviction and the parliamentary vote, it was no longer appropriate for Singh to continue in the position. He added that the Workers’ Party was welcome to put forward another MP to assume the title. Singh has denied any wrongdoing throughout the process and insists he acted in good faith. During the debate, he rejected claims that his conduct was dishonourable, saying that his conscience was clear and affirming his commitment to serving residents as an MP. Also Read: US seizes sixth Venezuela-linked tanker ahead of Trump's meeting with Maria Corina Machado The motion to strip him of the title passed after roughly three hours of debate, with all 11 Workers’ Party MPs present voting against it. Parliament also agreed to examine the status of two other WP lawmakers at a later date. Indranee Rajah, the Leader of the House who brought forward the motion, argued that Singh’s actions undermined public confidence in parliament and criticised him for not accepting responsibility. https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-f-16v-authorities-say-they-have-not-been-able-to-locate-the-pilot-1768487738931/embed Singh’s conviction is notable, as criminal cases involving sitting opposition MPs in Singapore are rare. He was also the first individual appointed to the formal role of Leader of the Opposition, a position created in 2020. Singapore’s government has previously faced accusations from critics that legal institutions are used to suppress political rivals, allegations that authorities have consistently rejected. Responding briefly to questions from the BBC via text message, Singh wrote: “#WeContinue.” The Workers’ Party said it would consider the matter and issue a response later. The party currently holds 12 of the 108 seats in parliament and has said it is conducting its own internal review into Singh’s actions.

Singapore’s parliament voted to remove Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition after his conviction, though he remains an MP and party leader

Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh has been found guilty of lying to parliament, dealing a major blow to his party. Singh faces a maximum sentence of three years behind bars. This ruling could have significant political implications in Singapore.

Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh found guilty of lying to parliament

Pritam Singh, the Leader of Opposition in Singapore was charged with perjury before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday (March 19).

Singh, who is of Indian descent and serves as the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party (WP), stands accused of providing false testimony during hearings by the Committee of Privileges concerning former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan.

Appearing in court without legal representation, the 47-year-old opposition figure pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 31(q) of the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities, and Powers) Act, opting for a trial.

If convicted, he faces a possible imprisonment term of up to three years or a fine of up to SGD 7,000 per charge.

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Seeking a four-week adjournment to secure legal counsel, a pre-trial conference is slated for April 17, as per media reports.

According to the charges, Singh allegedly provided false testimony on December 10, 2021, stating that after a meeting with fellow WP members Khan, Sylvia Lim, and Faisal Manap on August 8, 2021, he urged Khan to retract her statements made to MPs on August 3, 2021.

He is further accused of providing false testimony on December 10 and December 15, 2021, claiming that during a conversation with Khan on October 3, 2021, he encouraged her to confess to lying in Parliament.

Khan's case emerged in 2021 when she admitted to fabricating information in Parliament regarding a mishandled rape case involving the police.

After a series of hearings, the Committee of Privileges recommended that Singh be referred to the public prosecutor for potential criminal proceedings due to his conduct during the hearings.

Singh contested the committee's findings, criticising what he perceived as political bias in the report.

During a parliamentary debate on the committee's final report, Singh asserted that he never instructed Khan to conceal the truth and refuted allegations of his involvement in guiding Khan's actions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-leader-shashi-tharoor-slams-communist-party-says-it-is-playing-bjps-game-in-thiruvananthapuram-701943">Congress leader Shashi Tharoor slams communist party, says it is playing BJP's game in Thiruvananthapuram</a>

Following the release of the final report, the WP expressed serious concerns regarding the recommendation to refer Singh and WP vice-chair Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap for possible prosecution.

The committee's report concluded that Singh played a central role in directing Khan's actions, suggesting that he may have been instrumental in perpetuating her false statements. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Pritam Singh, the Leader of Opposition in Singapore was charged with perjury before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday (March 19). Singh, who is of Indian descent and serves as the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party (WP), stands accused of providing false testimony during hearings by the Committee of Privileges concerning former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan.

Pritam Singh, the Leader of Opposition in Singapore was charged with perjury before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday (March 19). Singh, who is of Indian descent and serves as the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party (WP), stands accused of providing false testimony during hearings by the Committee of Privileges concerning former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan. Appearing in court without legal representation, the 47-year-old opposition figure pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 31(q) of the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities, and Powers) Act, opting for a trial. If convicted, he faces a possible imprisonment term of up to three years or a fine of up to SGD 7,000 per charge. Also read: Indian man kills wife a week after reaching Canada, calls family to inform Seeking a four-week adjournment to secure legal counsel, a pre-trial conference is slated for April 17, as per media reports. According to the charges, Singh allegedly provided false testimony on December 10, 2021, stating that after a meeting with fellow WP members Khan, Sylvia Lim, and Faisal Manap on August 8, 2021, he urged Khan to retract her statements made to MPs on August 3, 2021. He is further accused of providing false testimony on December 10 and December 15, 2021, claiming that during a conversation with Khan on October 3, 2021, he encouraged her to confess to lying in Parliament. Khan's case emerged in 2021 when she admitted to fabricating information in Parliament regarding a mishandled rape case involving the police. After a series of hearings, the Committee of Privileges recommended that Singh be referred to the public prosecutor for potential criminal proceedings due to his conduct during the hearings. Singh contested the committee's findings, criticising what he perceived as political bias in the report. During a parliamentary debate on the committee's final report, Singh asserted that he never instructed Khan to conceal the truth and refuted allegations of his involvement in guiding Khan's actions. Also read: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor slams communist party, says it is playing BJP's game in Thiruvananthapuram Following the release of the final report, the WP expressed serious concerns regarding the recommendation to refer Singh and WP vice-chair Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap for possible prosecution. The committee's report concluded that Singh played a central role in directing Khan's actions, suggesting that he may have been instrumental in perpetuating her false statements. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore’s Indian-origin opposition leader Pritam Singh faces charges of misleading parliament

Pritam Singh, Singapore's Indian-origin politician scripted history on Monday when the city-state's Parliament conferred the duties and privileges to him as the country's first Leader of the Opposition.

Singh's Workers' Party won 10 parliamentary seats out of the 93 it contested in the July 10 General Election, making it the biggest opposition presence in Singapore's parliamentary history.

As the House began proceedings on Monday, one of the first orders of business was a ministerial statement by the Leader of the House Indranee Rajah on formally recognising Singh, 43, as the country's first Opposition leader.

Addressing Parliament, Singh underlined the need to focus on foreigners and their living conditions. He said how foreign workers are managed and accommodated needs to be improved.

“Their (foreigners) presence gives Singapore a vitality that keeps us economically relevant and also provides jobs and opportunities to our fellow Singaporeans. Many of us count the foreigners in our midst - regardless of race, language or religion - as our friends," Channel News Asia quoted Singh as saying.

“It is precisely because we need foreigners to help power our economy that we need to pay more attention to the Singapore worker... some of whom feel excluded from (the) opportunities created in their homeland," Singh said.

Leader of House Indranee, who is also of Indian-origin from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), said, "With more opposition MPs reflecting a 'strong desire among Singaporeans for a greater diversity of views in politics' as noted by the Prime Minister (Lee Hsien Loong) in his swearing-in speech.. It is timely and appropriate that the position of the Leader of the Opposition be more formally recognised."

The PAP has an absolute majority in the House with 83 elected members.

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The House passed a motion to double Singh's speaking time from 20 minutes -- which is allotted to backbenchers -- to 40 minutes, the duration allotted to office holders.

Singh took the seat directly opposite Prime Minister Lee in the chamber.

This is similar to the practice in other countries that formally recognise the role of the Leader of the Opposition, Indranee pointed out.

Singh called on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to publish the names of "recalcitrant" employers who do not give locals a fair chance in hiring and promotion.

The MOM had recently placed 47 companies on the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist for discriminatory hiring practices.

A wealth management firm on the list was found to have almost three-quarters of its professionals from the same country, he said.

In another similar case, a bank was found to have two-thirds of its professionals from a particular country.

“The obvious question is, how did those two companies get to those stages without the MOM taking action?" he asked.

“MOM website states at one point and I quote: ‘MOM does not tolerate unfair hiring practices and employers who do not give locals a fair chance in hiring and promotion will face scrutiny and stiff penalties if found to have unfair hiring practices," he said.

Following the General Election, Prime Minister Loong had said Singh will be designated the Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Parliament, and that he would be given staff support and resources to perform his duties.

There have been de facto leaders of the Opposition in the past, such as former Singapore People's Party chief Chiam See Tong. However, this is the first time the position is being recognised officially.

During her address on Monday, Indranee, 57, reiterated that Singh will be given an office in Parliament, staff support and resources, as well as additional allowance.

The Leader of the Opposition will generally be given the right of first response among MPs to ask the lead question to ministers on policies, bills and motions in Parliament.

This will be at the discretion of the Speaker and subject to existing conventions, she said.

As Leader of the Opposition, Singh's duties include leading and organising the Opposition's parliamentary business. He may also take on other duties such as attending official state functions and taking part in visits and meetings with members of the Government and the public service.

He will also, from time to time, receive briefings by the government on confidential issues, and the matters to be briefed will be determined by the government, said Indranee.

These duties and privileges are based on the conventions and practices of other Westminster-style parliamentary systems, but reflect adaptations to Singapore's political and parliamentary context, she added.

"With greater diversity of views, we can expect more robust debate and, in some cases, sharper exchanges. But we should work to ensure that diversity does not lead to polarity, of the country or of the people," said Indranee.

"Experience elsewhere shows that unity in diversity is not an assured outcome. Our goal should be to harness this diversity of views in a constructive manner, so that we can as a Parliament better serve the interests of Singaporeans and Singapore."

&nbsp;

Pritam Singh, Singapore's Indian-origin politician scripted history on Monday when the city-state's Parliament conferred the duties and privileges to him as the country's first Leader of the Opposition.

Pritam Singh, Singapore's Indian-origin politician scripted history on Monday when the city-state's Parliament conferred the duties and privileges to him as the country's first Leader of the Opposition. Singh's Workers' Party won 10 parliamentary seats out of the 93 it contested in the July 10 General Election, making it the biggest opposition presence in Singapore's parliamentary history. As the House began proceedings on Monday, one of the first orders of business was a ministerial statement by the Leader of the House Indranee Rajah on formally recognising Singh, 43, as the country's first Opposition leader. Addressing Parliament, Singh underlined the need to focus on foreigners and their living conditions. He said how foreign workers are managed and accommodated needs to be improved. “Their (foreigners) presence gives Singapore a vitality that keeps us economically relevant and also provides jobs and opportunities to our fellow Singaporeans. Many of us count the foreigners in our midst - regardless of race, language or religion - as our friends," Channel News Asia quoted Singh as saying. “It is precisely because we need foreigners to help power our economy that we need to pay more attention to the Singapore worker... some of whom feel excluded from (the) opportunities created in their homeland," Singh said. Leader of House Indranee, who is also of Indian-origin from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), said, "With more opposition MPs reflecting a 'strong desire among Singaporeans for a greater diversity of views in politics' as noted by the Prime Minister (Lee Hsien Loong) in his swearing-in speech.. It is timely and appropriate that the position of the Leader of the Opposition be more formally recognised." The PAP has an absolute majority in the House with 83 elected members. Also read: Singapore is battling record dengue outbreak with lab-bred mosquitoes The House passed a motion to double Singh's speaking time from 20 minutes -- which is allotted to backbenchers -- to 40 minutes, the duration allotted to office holders. Singh took the seat directly opposite Prime Minister Lee in the chamber. This is similar to the practice in other countries that formally recognise the role of the Leader of the Opposition, Indranee pointed out. Singh called on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to publish the names of "recalcitrant" employers who do not give locals a fair chance in hiring and promotion. The MOM had recently placed 47 companies on the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist for discriminatory hiring practices. A wealth management firm on the list was found to have almost three-quarters of its professionals from the same country, he said. In another similar case, a bank was found to have two-thirds of its professionals from a particular country. “The obvious question is, how did those two companies get to those stages without the MOM taking action?" he asked. “MOM website states at one point and I quote: ‘MOM does not tolerate unfair hiring practices and employers who do not give locals a fair chance in hiring and promotion will face scrutiny and stiff penalties if found to have unfair hiring practices," he said. Following the General Election, Prime Minister Loong had said Singh will be designated the Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Parliament, and that he would be given staff support and resources to perform his duties. There have been de facto leaders of the Opposition in the past, such as former Singapore People's Party chief Chiam See Tong. However, this is the first time the position is being recognised officially. During her address on Monday, Indranee, 57, reiterated that Singh will be given an office in Parliament, staff support and resources, as well as additional allowance. The Leader of the Opposition will generally be given the right of first response among MPs to ask the lead question to ministers on policies, bills and motions in Parliament. This will be at the discretion of the Speaker and subject to existing conventions, she said. As Leader of the Opposition, Singh's duties include leading and organising the Opposition's parliamentary business. He may also take on other duties such as attending official state functions and taking part in visits and meetings with members of the Government and the public service. He will also, from time to time, receive briefings by the government on confidential issues, and the matters to be briefed will be determined by the government, said Indranee. These duties and privileges are based on the conventions and practices of other Westminster-style parliamentary systems, but reflect adaptations to Singapore's political and parliamentary context, she added. "With greater diversity of views, we can expect more robust debate and, in some cases, sharper exchanges. But we should work to ensure that diversity does not lead to polarity, of the country or of the people," said Indranee. "Experience elsewhere shows that unity in diversity is not an assured outcome. Our goal should be to harness this diversity of views in a constructive manner, so that we can as a Parliament better serve the interests of Singaporeans and Singapore."

Indian-origin Pritam Singh becomes Singapore's first Leader of Opposition

Pritam Singh becomes Singapore's first Leader of Opposition

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Singapore Parliament votes to remove Pritam Singh as leader of Opposition after giving false testimony

Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh found guilty of lying to parliament

Singapore’s Indian-origin opposition leader Pritam Singh faces charges of misleading parliament

Indian-origin Pritam Singh becomes Singapore's first Leader of Opposition

Pritam Singh becomes Singapore's first Leader of Opposition