Singapore opposition leader, found guilty of lying to parliament, could face electoral ban
GuardianFEB 20
Singapore Opposition Leader Fined for Lying to Parliament
Above: Opposition leader and Workers' Party (WP) Secretary-General Pritam Singh appears at the State Court for his verdict trial in Singapore on February 17, 2025. Image copyright: Suhaimi Abdullah/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The prosecution of Singh represents a justified response to dishonesty in parliament, as he willfully provided false statements to a committee inquiring into Khan's case. Singh failed to take sufficient steps to ensure his party member admitted to her falsehood and allegedly told her to 'take the lie to the grave.'
Narrative B
The case against Singh was politically motivated from the start, potentially hampering the evolution of a more balanced political system in Singapore and risking a complete elimination of elected opposition MPs in the upcoming elections.