Workers’ Party says it will not nominate new Leader of the Opposition after Pritam Singh’s removal

Workers’ Party not nominating another WP Member of Parliament to Leader of the Opposition post

The Workers’ Party (WP) has said it will not nominate another Member of Parliament (MP) to fill the vacant Leader of the Opposition (LO) post, following the removal of party chief Pritam Singh from the role.

In a media statement posted on Wednesday (21 Jan), WP said it had conveyed its position to Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong after being asked to nominate a replacement.

WP: LO role arises from people’s vote

WP said the establishment of the LO office in 2020 marked a step forward in Singapore’s political development, reflecting “the strong desire among Singaporeans for a greater diversity of views in politics”.

“It is important to reiterate that the LO appointment in Parliament arose out of the political success of the opposition at the ballot box,” WP said, adding that the presence of opposition MPs is explained by “the people’s vote”.

WP also noted that in other Westminster systems, the title of Leader of the Opposition is established by law.

They added that the title, which “expresses the authority and sanctity of the people’s vote”, is not the choice of the government or PM of the day.

WP said it takes the view that “the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament is the leader of the opposition”.

And therefore, they will not be nominating another WP MP to the post after the removal of Pritam Singh, leader of the WP.

The party said it would continue to focus on its “primary duty, to work for Singaporeans and provide a rational, responsible, and respectable check on the Government”.

Pritam Singh removed from LO post after Parliament debate

Mr Singh was removed as Leader of the Opposition with immediate effect on 15 Jan.

This was a day after Parliament debated and passed a motion deeming him unfit for the role.

The motion was tabled by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah and passed after a majority of MPs voted in favour.

All 11 WP MPs stood to record their dissent.

Ms Indranee said Mr Singh had been convicted on two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP), a conviction upheld by the High Court on 4 Dec, with Mr Singh fined S$14,000.

She accused him of telling “too many lies”.

These include guiding former Sengkang MP Raeesah Khan to maintain her lie to Parliament, lying before the COP, lying before the court and more.

She described the matter as showing a “failure of leadership”.

Meanwhile, Mr Singh maintained that his conscience remains clear with regard to the conviction.

“A criminal conviction does not negate one’s right to assert innocence,” he said.

PM says removal necessary to uphold integrity of Parliament

In his statement posted on 15 Jan, PM Wong said Mr Singh’s criminal convictions, together with Parliament’s view of his unsuitability, made it “no longer tenable for him to continue as the LO”.

He added that the decision was necessary to uphold the rule of law and the dignity and integrity of Parliament.

With his removal, Mr Singh will no longer be entitled to privileges reserved for the LO.

These include the right of first response in debates, additional speaking time, an office in Parliament, extra staff support and resources, and double the allowance of an elected MP.

Also read: S’poreans look for integrity & courage in next LO, some hope it will be Jamus Lim, Dennis Tan or He Ting Ru

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Featured image adapted from The Workers’ Party website and The Workers’ Party on Facebook.