Opposition leader charged with giving ‘false testimony’

The leader of Singapore’s opposition was charged with two counts of giving false testimony before a parliamentary committee during a probe into one of his party members, police and prosecutors said.

Pritam Singh, head of the Workers’ Party, was charged at the State Courts for having twice “falsely testified” before the committee in December 2021 and if found guilty, he faces a fine or imprisonment not exceeding three years.

Pritam is accused of “wilfully making false answers to material questions put to him during examination by the (committee),” police and the prosecution said.

he said on social media that he pleaded not guilty yesterday.

A spokesman for his party added that the next hearing was scheduled for May 10.

“Until the legal process comes to a complete close, I will continue with all my Parliamentary duties and Town Council responsibilities,” Pritam wrote in a post on Instagram.

The hearings revolved around parliamentarian Raeesah Khan, who had accused Singapore police of insensitive behaviour toward a female sexual assault victim.

Raeesah claimed during a parliamentary session on empowering women to have gone with the woman to the police station to file a report, but later admitted she made up the story.

She has since vacated her parliamentary seat and resigned from the party.

As the Workers’ Party chief, Pritam was invited to the parliamentary committee as a witness.

he falsely told the committee that he had wanted Raeesah to admit that she had made up the story, according to the charges.

“When I first entered politics some years ago, I was under no illusion as to the challenges that lay ahead in building a more balanced and democratic political system in Singapore,” Pritam said on Instagram.

Parliament is dominated by the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has ruled Singapore without interruption since 1959.