SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Leader of the House, Indranee Rajah, has described Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh’s conduct as “not trivial” and said it undermines public trust in Parliament, as she moved a motion urging members to express regret over his actions. 

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (14 January), Ms Indranee said Mr Singh’s conduct involved multiple instances of lying — including to different individuals and at different times — and represented a serious failure of leadership. She said this “strikes at the trust Singaporeans place in us, as well as the solemn duty we owe to the people we serve.” 

The motion, which calls on MPs to “express regret” at Mr Singh’s conduct and to consider whether he is suitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition, was raised amid debate following the High Court’s dismissal of his appeal against his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee in the Raeesah Khan case. 

Ms Indranee emphasised that honesty and integrity are core to Singapore’s parliamentary democracy and non-negotiable standards for its members. She said Parliament’s authority does not rest on law alone but also on the confidence and trust Singaporeans have in its members and processes. 

In outlining the case, Ms Indranee noted that Mr Singh had guided Ms Khan — then a first-term MP — to maintain a false narrative, failed to disclose his knowledge of the untruths to his party’s central committee, and later continued to provide false testimony to the Committee of Privileges and the courts. 

The Leader of the House clarified that the motion was not designed to impose sanctions or remove Mr Singh from his position — decisions that lie outside Parliament’s direct powers — but was intended to reflect the House’s view on the matter. 

The debate reflects broader concerns among lawmakers about standards of conduct and accountability in public office, and has sparked significant discussion across the political spectrum.