Singapore PM Removes Pritam Singh as Opposition Leader

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong removed Pritam Singh, leader of the Workers' Party, from his position as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament on January 15, citing Singh's criminal conviction for lying under oath as rendering him unsuitable for the role.

The decision took effect immediately and followed a parliamentary motion passed the previous day, which declared Singh's conduct dishonorable and unbecoming in light of his conviction. Wong stated that the action was essential to uphold the rule of law and maintain the dignity and integrity of Parliament. He invited the Workers' Party to nominate another elected member of Parliament to assume the position, emphasizing that the nominee must meet high standards and not have been implicated in related proceedings.

Singh, who has served as secretary-general of the Workers' Party since 2018, was convicted in February 2024 on two counts of making false statements to a parliamentary Committee of Privileges. The case stemmed from a 2021 scandal involving former Workers' Party MP Raeesah Khan, who admitted to lying in Parliament about an alleged sexual assault victim's experience with police. Khan was fined S$35,000 for her...