Pritam Singh Loses Opposition Leader Title Following Conviction

Thu Jan 15 2026 14:15:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Pritam Singh, Singapore's Leader of the Opposition, has been stripped of his title after being found guilty of lying under oath. The parliamentary decision raises questions about political accountability and judicial independence in Singapore.

Pritam Singh, the Leader of the Opposition in Singapore, has been removed from his title following a parliamentary vote prompted by his recent conviction for lying under oath. Despite maintaining his innocence, Singh faces significant political repercussions while remaining a member of parliament. This marks a rare instance of a sitting opposition lawmaker facing criminal charges.

Pritam Singh, Singapore's Leader of the Opposition in parliament, has been stripped of his title by the Prime Minister following a vote by lawmakers. The vote took place in an overwhelmingly ruling People's Action Party (PAP) dominated parliament. The decision follows Singh's conviction for lying under oath to a parliamentary committee, although he continues to maintain his innocence.

While Singh remains a member of parliament and secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP), he will lose privileges including additional allowances and the right of first reply during debates. Singh's case is notable as it is among the few criminal convictions against an active opposition lawmaker. He previously held the title of Leader of the Opposition, a position he was the first to occupy.

Critics have voiced concerns over the government's use of judicial actions against political opponents, a claim that authorities deny. During the parliamentary debate, Indranee Rajah, Leader of the House, criticized Singh's actions as damaging to public trust in parliament, claiming he had failed to demonstrate accountability.

Singh responded by asserting his integrity, emphasizing his "clear conscience," and rejecting the debate's characterization of his behavior as dishonorable. Following the debate, parliament passed a motion to effectively strip Singh of his title, with all WP members voting against it.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong later stated that Singh's position as Leader of the Opposition was no longer valid given the circumstances, inviting the WP to nominate another of its MPs for the role. Singh’s brief, yet defiant response highlighted his resolve with the phrase: #WeContinue. The WP plans to conduct an internal review regarding Singh's actions and will respond in due time. The party currently holds 12 of the 108 seats in Singapore's parliament.

Singh's legal troubles began in 2021 when former WP lawmaker Raeesah Khan falsely claimed she witnessed inappropriate police conduct towards a sexual assault victim. Following an investigation, Khan revealed that Singh and other party leaders encouraged her to maintain the false narrative, leading to Singh’s conviction for perjury related to his testimony during the inquiry.

Despite his legal challenges, Singh insists his actions were aimed at allowing Khan to address a sensitive issue adequately. His appeal against the conviction was rejected in December.