Workers' Party tells PM Singh remains as Leader of the Opposition
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong asked the main opposition party to appoint another MP for the post of Leader of the Opposition. The issue stems from Singh's conviction for pressuring a former MP who had lied about the police. The Workers’ Party defends its leader, accusing the government of using the courts for political reasons.
Singapore (AsiaNews) – The Workers' Party (WP) has rejected Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's request to appoint another elected MP as Leader of the Opposition (LO).
In a statement posted today on its website, it expressed the view that the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament is the leader of the Opposition.
The row was sparked by the prime minister's decision on 15 January to remove WP leader Pritam Singh from his post in connection with certain legal issues involving him, in what some see the limits of the country’s democracy.
After parliament voted a motion declaring Singh "unsuitable" as Leader of the Opposition (LO), Singh was stripped of his post.
In a letter to Prime Minister Wong dated today, the WP said that it was “unable to accept” the request to nominate another elected MP to the post, as it has its own procedures to elect its leaders.
“In Singapore, the position of LO is a discretionary appointment that the Prime Minister makes,” it noted. But while there are "no constitutional or statutory eligibility criteria” for the post, the only eligible candidate is "a Member of Parliament who is the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament."
This also reflects "the people’s vote” in choosing their representatives in Parliament, while there are other systems in which the choice of the opposition leader is established by law and "is not the prerogative" of the prime minister or the government.
In 2020, then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong appointed Singh as LO, a position confirmed by incumbent Prime Minister Wong following last May's general election.
For the WP, holding the post of LO represents a key step forward in Singapore's political development and democratisation.
“We continue to focus on our primary duty, to work for Singaporeans and provide a rational, responsible and respectable check on the Government,” it says.
On 14 January, Singapore’s parliament, which is dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP), ruled that Pritam Singh was not fit to hold the post, which the prime minister confirmed the next day.
The decision stems from Singh’s conviction for lying under oath before a parliamentary committee, although Singh himself has always maintained his innocence in the matter.
Although he remains a MP and secretary general of the largest opposition party, he will no longer enjoy the privileges of the office of LO, including the right of first reply during debates, more time for speeches, and double the salary of a regular MP.
Singh's case is unique because it is one of the few convictions against a sitting opposition MP, although critics argue it is a move by the government to use the judiciary to target political opponents, a claim rejected by the authorities.
The controversy had erupted in 2021 when then WP MP Raeesah Khan accused the police of misconduct toward a victim of sexual assault.
She later admitted that her story was untrue and, in a parliamentary hearing, revealed that party leaders, including Singh, had ordered her to continue with her accusations against the police, despite knowing it was false.
Khan has since resigned from the party and parliament and has been fined by the court for lying and abusing her parliamentary privileges.
Legal proceedings were subsequently initiated against the current opposition leader for lying under oath before the parliamentary committee during hearings on Khan's case.
In February 2025, a court found him guilty and fined him thousands of dollars. It also ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to withdraw her lies.
By contrast, Singh consistently maintained his innocence during the trial, insisting that he merely wanted to buy Khan time to address the "sensitive" matter.
In December 2025, Singh lost his appeal against the conviction.
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22/05/2007
