Singapore's Leader of the Opposition in parliament, Pritam Singh, has been stripped of his title by the prime minister following a vote by lawmakers.
The vote took place on Wednesday in parliament, dominated by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
This decision comes after Singh's conviction for lying under oath to a parliamentary committee, a claim Singh has consistently denied.
Despite losing his title, Singh remains a member of parliament and secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP), but he will no longer receive additional allowances or the right to respond first in parliamentary debates.
Singh's case is notable as one of the few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition legislator, and he was the first to hold the title of Leader of the Opposition.
Critics allege that Singapore's government utilizes the judiciary to target political rivals — a claim that government officials have denied.
During the parliamentary debate, Indranee Rajah, Leader of the House, expressed that Singh's actions have undermined public trust in parliament.
Singh countered, asserting his moral integrity and rejecting the characterization of his conduct as dishonorable. He vowed to continue his responsibilities as a member of parliament.
After a three-hour debate, the parliament voted, approving a motion to remove Singh as Leader of the Opposition, with the WP members opposing the decision.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that in light of Singh's conviction, it was no longer feasible for him to remain as Leader of the Opposition, inviting the WP to nominate another candidate for the title.
In response to media inquiries, Singh replied with one phrase: #WeContinue. The WP plans to deliberate on this change and issue a response at a later time, as it conducts an internal review regarding Singh's actions within party guidelines.
The saga began back in 2021 when WP lawmaker Raeesah Khan erroneously claimed in parliament to have witnessed police misconduct. Following her admission of the falsehood, Singh faced a legal case for lying under oath about the matter. He was eventually found guilty and fined, with the court suggesting he did not want Khan to clarify her lie. Singh, insisting on his innocence, pursued an appeal which he lost last December.
