Opposition leader Pritam Singh stripped of his post after Singapore vote
Guwahati: Singapore has stripped Pritam Singh, leader of the Workers’ Party, of his title as Leader of the Opposition after parliament passed a motion declaring him unsuitable for the role following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the decision on Thursday, a day after lawmakers approved the motion after a three-hour debate. The motion said Singh’s conduct had undermined the integrity of parliament and public confidence in Singapore’s political system.
Singh, 49, remains a member of parliament despite losing the title, which is not enshrined in law. He said during the debate that he accepted the court’s judgment even though he disagreed with it, adding that his conscience was clear. He also said he had never “hankered” for the opposition leader role and vowed to continue serving as an MP.
Singh is one of the most recognisable opposition figures in Singapore, where politics has long been dominated by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). He leads the centre-left Workers’ Party, the country’s largest opposition group, which holds 12 of parliament’s 108 seats.
A lawyer by profession, Singh first entered parliament in 2011 after graduating from the National University of Singapore and King’s College London. Singapore allows lawmakers to hold full-time jobs alongside their parliamentary duties.
He became secretary-general of the Workers’ Party in 2018, succeeding veteran opposition leader Low Thia Khiang, under whom the party made historic gains. Singh was formally appointed Singapore’s first Leader of the Opposition in 2020 after the role was officially created.
Singh’s tenure, however, was overshadowed by controversy linked to Raeesah Khan, a former Workers’ Party lawmaker who admitted to lying in parliament. During a parliamentary committee investigation, Khan said party leaders, including Singh, had urged her to maintain a false account.
In February 2025, a court convicted Singh of giving false testimony to the committee. He lost his final appeal against the verdict in December.
Lawmakers backing Wednesday’s motion said Singh’s handling of the Khan case rendered him unfit to continue as Leader of the Opposition, arguing that his continued presence in the role would damage parliament’s standing.
Singh is married with two daughters and is known for his strong oratory skills in parliament and at election rallies. Despite losing the title, he has said he will continue to play his role in parliament as part of the opposition.
