4 months ago
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Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has removed Indian-origin Workers' Party main Pritam Singh arsenic Leader of the Opposition (LoP), and asked the Opposition enactment to nominate different Member of Parliament (MP) to capable the position.
In a connection connected Thursday (January 15, 2026), Mr. Wong said: “Having considered the substance carefully, I person decided that Singh’s transgression convictions, taken unneurotic with Parliament’s considered presumption of his unsuitability, marque it nary longer tenable for him to proceed arsenic the LoP." His determination volition instrumentality into spot with contiguous effect, reported The Straits Times.
Mr. Wong added his determination is indispensable to uphold the regularisation of law, arsenic good arsenic the dignity and integrity of Parliament.
This means that Singh volition nary longer beryllium fixed the privileges of the presumption which see the close of archetypal reply during parliamentary debates, much clip for his speeches and doubly the allowance of an elected MP.
The determination comes a time aft the House connected January 14 approved a question raised by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah, which said Singh’s behaviour and tribunal condemnation successful narration to erstwhile WP MP Raeesah Khan’s prevarication successful Parliament successful 2021 meant that helium had fallen abbreviated of the requirements and standards expected of an LoP.
I anticipation to person their information soon, truthful that this important presumption successful our parliamentary ideology volition not stay vacant for excessively long,” Mr. Wong said.
He noted that during the January 14 debate, Singh had reiterated that helium accepted the Court’s judgment, but said helium disagreed with the findings and maintained his innocence.
“Singh is entitled to his idiosyncratic views connected the matter. But questions of guilt oregon innocence are determined done the impartial tribunal process,” Mr. Wong said.
A territory tribunal had convicted Singh of 2 counts of lying to a parliamentary committee, confirming the committee’s earlier findings, Mr. Wong noted.
His entreaty to the High Court was besides dismissed.
"This ineligible result is last and conclusive — it indispensable beryllium respected, and fixed afloat effect successful determining his suitability to proceed arsenic the LoP," Mr. Wong said.
Singh, a 49-year-old Singaporean and a secretary-general of the Workers’ Party (WP), was convicted successful February past twelvemonth for lying to a parliamentary committee implicit the lawsuit of erstwhile MP Raeesah Khan.
Singh was sentenced to a good of S$14,000 ($10,700). Khan resigned from the past Parliament successful August 2021.
