Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh stands trial for alleged lies under oath

The trial marks the first time in Singapore’s history that an opposition leader has been prosecuted for lying to a parliamentary committee

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Workers’ Party Secretary General Pritam Singh during a news conference at party headquarters in Singapore last year. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:39am, 14 Oct 2024Updated: 7:28pm, 14 Oct 2024

The landmark trial of Singapore’s opposition leader, who stands accused of lying during a parliamentary committee inquiry, began on Monday.

Pritam Singh, 48, is at the centre of a controversy stemming from former MP Raeesah Khan’s misleading claims to parliament in August 2021 about accompanying a rape victim to a police station.

The Workers’ Party secretary general faces charges related to his testimony during hearings held in December 2021, when he is accused of providing false statements regarding his interactions with Khan, a former party member.

His predecessor as Workers’ Party secretary general, Low Thia Khiang, will serve as a witness, prosecutors revealed on Monday.

The trial is the first of its kind in the city state.

Former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan was fined S$35,000 for her role in the saga after she admitted lying in parliament. Photo: Handout

The prosecution’s first witness on Monday was Khan, who expressed her past admiration for Singh. “I revered him,” she told the court. “I thought he was someone I really looked up to [and] someone I thought really knew everything. Someone that could have all the answers.”