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.

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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.

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.