Pritam Singh, the Indian-origin Leader of the Opposition in Singapore, was fined SGD 14,000 on Monday after being found guilty of perjury by a district court. The court ruled that Singh had given false testimony under oath to a parliamentary committee investigating a separate lying case involving former Workers’ Party (WP) MP Raeesah Khan in 2021.
Singh, 48, received the maximum fine of SGD 7,000 for each of the two charges against him. Despite the conviction, he remains eligible to contest the upcoming general election in November 2024. The Elections Department confirmed that the sentence does not meet the threshold for disqualification, which applies only if a single offence carries a jail term of at least one year or a fine of at least SGD 10,000.
False Testimony and Court Ruling
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan ruled that Singh had deliberately provided false statements during an inquiry conducted by the Committee of Privileges (COP) on December 10 and 15, 2021. The inquiry was examining the actions of Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to lying in Parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to a police station.
Singh was accused of falsely claiming that:
- After an August 8, 2021 meeting with Khan and WP leaders Sylvia Lim and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, he had instructed Khan to clarify her false statement in Parliament.
- During an October 3, 2021 meeting with Khan, he had asked her to admit to lying if the issue was raised in Parliament on October 4.
Judge Tan highlighted that Singh, as a “political veteran”, was fully aware of the consequences of Khan’s lie and its potential to escalate to a parliamentary inquiry. The court emphasized the need to uphold the integrity of parliamentary proceedings, stating, “The court must send a message on the importance of giving truthful information when under oath.”
However, the judge agreed with both the prosecution and defence that a jail term was not necessary in Singh’s case.
Singh to Contest General Election, Files Appeal
Following the court’s ruling, Singh confirmed his intention to contest the upcoming general election in November. Speaking to reporters outside the State Courts, he stated that he had instructed his legal team to file an appeal and review the judgment in detail.
In a Facebook post, Singh reiterated his commitment to the Workers’ Party and his electoral campaign, emphasizing that the ruling does not impact his political standing.
Sources By Agencies
