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SINGAPORE: Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh will appeal his conviction and sentence after he was fined on Monday (Feb 17) for lying to a parliamentary committee.
Singh was found guilty of two charges of lying to parliament over false testimonies he gave to a Committee of Privileges on Dec 10 and Dec 15, 2021, during its inquiry into former WP Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan's conduct.
He was given the maximum S$7,000 (US$5,200) fine for each of the charges.
Speaking to the media outside of the State Courts after the hearing, the Leader of the Opposition called the verdict a "disappointing" one.
He said he would appeal both the conviction and the sentence but declined to go into details.
"I don’t want to go too far into that, let the process take its course and we’ll see what the results (are)," he said.
The WP chief also said he intends to contest in the upcoming General Election, which has to be called by Nov 23.
He said this shortly before the Elections Department clarified that under the Constitution, disqualification from being an MP is based on the sentence for a single offence.
"If a person is charged with multiple offences and the sentence imposed for each of those offences does not reach the disqualification threshold of imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than S$10,000, the person is not disqualified from being an MP," said the ELD.
"The respective sentences for separate offences cannot be added together for this purpose."
Asked if the conviction could affect how voters view the party in the upcoming election, he said: "I leave it to the public again to determine how they want to exercise their vote in what we in the Workers’ Party believe is, the need of the hour in Singapore, which is the evolution towards a more balanced political system."
The case has not affected the party’s morale and it "continue(s) moving forward", he added.
"The path of choosing opposition politics is not for the fainthearted, and I am grateful and privileged to be in the company of fellow party members who have worked hard to provide an alternative to Singaporeans."
He added: "We have met with numerous obstacles in the course of our political life. We have shown resilience and in that regard, this case won't be any different.
"We continue to show resilience."
Leader of the Opposition and Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh speaks to the media outside the State Courts on Feb 17, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
Asked about the possibility that he might be forced to consider stepping down, Mr Singh replied that the need was for him "to step up, not step down".
"Elections are imminent, and it's not going to be an easy election, as I have repeatedly shared in the course of my public speeches to fellow Workers' Party members," he said.
"So we'll have to fight hard, and that's what we will do."
In a statement posted on the party’s Facebook page, WP chair Sylvia Lim said the party is "no stranger to challenges and will rise to the occasion", as it has many times in the past.
"We are grateful to all who have stood by us through good times and bad, and will continue to work to earn the support of all Singaporeans," she added.
Source: CNA/sk(mi)
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FAST
SINGAPORE: Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh will appeal his conviction and sentence after he was fined on Monday (Feb 17) for lying to a parliamentary committee.
Singh was found guilty of two charges of lying to parliament over false testimonies he gave to a Committee of Privileges on Dec 10 and Dec 15, 2021, during its inquiry into former WP Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan's conduct.
He was given the maximum S$7,000 (US$5,200) fine for each of the charges.
Speaking to the media outside of the State Courts after the hearing, the Leader of the Opposition called the verdict a "disappointing" one.
He said he would appeal both the conviction and the sentence but declined to go into details.
"I don’t want to go too far into that, let the process take its course and we’ll see what the results (are)," he said.
The WP chief also said he intends to contest in the upcoming General Election, which has to be called by Nov 23.
He said this shortly before the Elections Department clarified that under the Constitution, disqualification from being an MP is based on the sentence for a single offence.
"If a person is charged with multiple offences and the sentence imposed for each of those offences does not reach the disqualification threshold of imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than S$10,000, the person is not disqualified from being an MP," said the ELD.
"The respective sentences for separate offences cannot be added together for this purpose."
Related:
Asked if the conviction could affect how voters view the party in the upcoming election, he said: "I leave it to the public again to determine how they want to exercise their vote in what we in the Workers’ Party believe is, the need of the hour in Singapore, which is the evolution towards a more balanced political system."
The case has not affected the party’s morale and it "continue(s) moving forward", he added.
"The path of choosing opposition politics is not for the fainthearted, and I am grateful and privileged to be in the company of fellow party members who have worked hard to provide an alternative to Singaporeans."
He added: "We have met with numerous obstacles in the course of our political life. We have shown resilience and in that regard, this case won't be any different.
"We continue to show resilience."
Leader of the Opposition and Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh speaks to the media outside the State Courts on Feb 17, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
Asked about the possibility that he might be forced to consider stepping down, Mr Singh replied that the need was for him "to step up, not step down".
"Elections are imminent, and it's not going to be an easy election, as I have repeatedly shared in the course of my public speeches to fellow Workers' Party members," he said.
"So we'll have to fight hard, and that's what we will do."
In a statement posted on the party’s Facebook page, WP chair Sylvia Lim said the party is "no stranger to challenges and will rise to the occasion", as it has many times in the past.
"We are grateful to all who have stood by us through good times and bad, and will continue to work to earn the support of all Singaporeans," she added.
Related:
Source: CNA/sk(mi)
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