Decision on whether Pritam Singh continues as Leader of Opposition is for PM to make, not Parliament: Indranee

The decision on whether Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh should continue as Leader of the Opposition rests with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, said Leader of the House Indranee Rajah on Wednesday (Jan 14). 

She had filed a motion in Parliament stating that Singh's conduct was dishonourable and unbecoming of an MP, and that it renders him unsuitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition. 

This comes after he was convicted and fined $14,000 in February last year on two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee over the case of former MP Raeesah Khan. His conviction was upheld in December after an unsuccessful appeal. 

In her speech, Indranee said that the motion does not call for the removal of the Leader of the Opposition. 

Since the Leader of the Opposition is designated by the Prime Minister, PM Wong will decide if Singh is to be stripped of this appointment — not Parliament. 

"However, members are entitled to, and I will argue have an obligation to, express a view on Mr Singh's suitability to continue in the role," said Indranee. 

"It will then be for the Prime Minister to decide what to do after that."

'Failure of leadership'

She also described Singh’s misconduct as a "serious matter" and a "failure of leadership". 

"When an MP lies to Parliament or before its committees, this is not just a personal lapse or a tactical misjudgment," Indranee said. 

"It strikes at the trust Singaporeans place in us, as well as the solemn duty we owe to the people we serve. 

"It undermines the high standards of integrity and incorruptibility which make the Singapore system work, and for which Singapore is known".

Singh was appointed Leader of the Opposition in 2020 by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong after the general election that year when WP won a record 10 out of 93 seats. 

As Leader of the Opposition, Singh receives confidential briefings by the Government on select matters of national security and external relations, and in the event of a national crisis or emergency. 

He receives an extra allowance to hire up to three additional legislative assistants — on top of what MPs get for one legislative assistant and one secretarial assistant — and receives an allowance of about $385,000 annually — double of what an elected MP receives. 

Necessary to address his conduct: Indranee

Indranee also noted that the Standing Orders of Singapore's Parliament "normally" does not allow reflecting upon the character and conduct of an MP or making a charge of a personal character.

"But there are exceptions," she said. "This is when it pertains to his conduct in his capacity as an MP and if there is a substantive Motion on the matter."

"It is therefore necessary for us not to skirt around the conduct with euphemisms but to name it squarely, so that everyone understands the issues clearly and can debate them properly."

She said that the Courts had established "many disturbing facts" about Singh's conduct, namely that he had "lied repeatedly" about how he handled Khan's lie on the police mishandling a sexual assault case.

The Leader of the House listed that Singh had lied to the public when he denounced Khan's accounts of the incident, and "lied to the Courts" by "[sticking] to these untruths when giving evidence".

"Mr Speaker, there are simply too many lies - they pile up, one on top of another, each to cover up a previous lie," she added.

"And that is a problem as Mr Singh is also the Leader of the Opposition."

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