Parliament voted to remove Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition after a court convicted him of giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee about Raeesah Khan's 2021 false statement. The motion, moved by PAP house leader Indranee Rajah, called Singh's conduct "dishonourable and unbecoming" and now awaits confirmation by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Singh said he accepted the court's ruling while maintaining his right to assert innocence and taking responsibility for not correcting the matter sooner.
Singapore Parliament Votes To Remove Opposition Leader Pritam Singh After False-Testimony Conviction
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh leaves the Supreme Court after his appeal was dismissed in Singapore December 4, 2025. REUTERS/Suhaimi Abdullah
Singapore's parliament voted on Wednesday to remove Workers' Party leader Pritam Singh from his post as Leader of the Opposition after a court convicted him of giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee.
Parliamentary Motion and Next Steps
Indranee Rajah, the house leader from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), moved a resolution declaring Singh "dishonourable and unbecoming" and therefore unfit to continue as opposition chief. The parliamentary decision must be confirmed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to take formal effect, since the opposition leader is designated by the head of government.
What the Case Involves
A Singapore court found Singh guilty of providing false evidence in 2021 to a parliamentary committee about fellow Workers' Party member Raeesah Khan, who had admitted lying in a parliamentary speech about accompanying an alleged sexual-assault victim to make a police report. Singh's appeal against the conviction was dismissed by the courts in December.
Arguments In Parliament
Indranee Rajah told lawmakers that Singh's misconduct involved multiple untruths told to different people at different times and that he had shown no "remorse, accountability or acceptance of responsibility."
Pritam Singh responded that a conviction does not erase his right to maintain his innocence. He said he accepted the court's verdict and took responsibility for not responding quickly enough to correct his colleague's false statement.
Political Context
Singh, 49, was the first person formally appointed as Singapore's Leader of the Opposition since the city-state's independence in 1965. He assumed the role after the 2020 general election when the Workers' Party increased its parliamentary representation, and he was reappointed following the 2025 election in which the PAP won 87 of 97 contested seats and the Workers' Party won the remainder.
Significance
The vote to remove Singh marks a rare and high-profile development in Singapore's tightly managed political landscape. It raises questions about accountability, political trust, and the relationship between the judiciary and parliamentary standards. The final decision will hinge on the prime minister's confirmation.
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