Court verdict expected in the lying scandal of Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh

Yahoo

17-02-2025

By Philip J. Heijmans
(Bloomberg) — A Singapore court is set to rule on Monday (17 Feb) whether opposition leader Pritam Singh lied under oath to a parliament committee in a widely-watched decision coming months ahead of a national election.
Singh, 48, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, faces two charges of lying under oath. The case centers on his testimony to a parliament committee investigating a former lawmaker from his party who lied in parliament about a sexual assault case. Singh pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors have said they are seeking a fine if Singh is convicted. Singapore's law states that a person who has been fined at least $10,000 (US$7,466) is disqualified from being a member of parliament for five years.
Each of Singh's charges carry a maximum fine of $7,000, and it isn't immediately clear if there's a risk he will be barred from running in the next election. Still, a conviction and a smaller fine will add unwanted scrutiny to the politician and his party before the vote that's due by November.
The verdict on Singh takes place at a politically sensitive time as Lawrence Wong leads the ruling People's Action Party in his first election as prime minister. The PAP suffered its worst-ever electoral showing in 2020 even though it took 83 of the 93 contested seats.
Singh was named the leader of the opposition after his party made unprecedented gains by grabbing 10 seats. The Workers' Party has cast itself as a check on the PAP that is grappling with voter concerns over rising living costs.
In a speech last month, Singh said at least one-third of elected lawmakers should be from the opposition.
Wong, 52, who also serves as finance minister, will deliver a national budget on Tuesday likely to feature cash handouts and refreshed social welfare programs for Singaporeans as he seeks to shore up support.
The PAP too has grappled with a series of controversies in the past two years. Two lawmakers unexpectedly resigned over an affair, a former transport minister was sent to jail after pleading guilty to obtaining gifts as a public servant and the son of former premier Goh Chok Tong was among four people charged for false trading offences.
For the Workers' Party, its fortunes took a dent after a parliamentary committee stacked with ruling-party officials found in 2022 that Singh told untruths during his testimony in the investigation into his former colleague. Parliament members then referred the case to prosecutors.
Singh said this year would be a critical one for his party and the opposition.
'At this stage of Singapore's political development, there is a real risk of a wipeout of elected opposition MPs' in the coming elections, he said in last month's speech. 'Such a development will set back the evolution of a more balanced political system.'
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