SINGAPORE, Feb 17 — A Singapore court is poised to deliver a ruling on Monday regarding opposition leader Pritam Singh, who stands accused of lying under oath before a parliamentary committee — a decision that holds significant weight ahead of the country’s national elections.
Singh, 48, the head of Singapore’s main opposition Workers’ Party, faces two charges of lying under oath, according to a report published on Bloomberg today.
The case revolves around his testimony to a parliamentary committee that was investigating a former lawmaker from his party, who had lied in parliament concerning a sexual assault case.
Singh has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
If convicted, prosecutors have indicated that they will seek a fine for Singh.
Under Singaporean law, a person fined at least S$10,000 (RM33,000) is disqualified from serving as a member of parliament for five years.
Each of the charges against Singh carries a maximum fine of S$7,000, though it remains unclear whether this would disqualify him from running in the next election.
Regardless, any conviction and subsequent fine would cast unwelcome scrutiny on Singh and his party ahead of the vote, which must be held by November.
The verdict comes at a politically sensitive time, with Lawrence Wong, the leader of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), preparing for his first election as prime minister.
Despite securing 83 of the 93 contested seats in the 2020 election, the PAP experienced its worst-ever electoral performance.
Singh, who became the leader of the opposition after his party made historic gains in the 2020 election, has been a vocal advocate for a more balanced political system.
His Workers’ Party won 10 seats, casting itself as a key check on the PAP, which faces mounting voter concerns over rising living costs.
In a recent speech, Singh emphasised that at least one-third of elected lawmakers should come from the opposition.
Meanwhile, Wong, 52, who also serves as Singapore’s finance minister, is set to unveil the national budget on Tuesday, which is expected to feature cash handouts and updated social welfare programmes aimed at bolstering public support.
The PAP itself has faced several controversies in recent years, including the resignation of two lawmakers over an affair, a former transport minister’s conviction for accepting gifts as a public servant, and charges against the son of former premier Goh Chok Tong for false trading offences.
For the Workers’ Party, the outcome of Singh’s case has added pressure after a parliamentary committee, dominated by ruling-party officials, concluded in 2022 that Singh had lied during his testimony in the investigation into his former colleague.
This finding led parliament to refer the matter to the prosecutors.
Singh has acknowledged that this year is crucial for both his party and the opposition at large.
