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The decision to do so is “necessary to uphold the rule of law, as well as the dignity and integrity of Parliament”, said PM Wong.
January 15, 2026, 04:09 PM
Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh will be removed from his position as Leader of the Opposition (LO), said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
This decision comes after the majority of Singapore Parliament voted to support Leader of the House Indranee Rajah’s motion to consider Singh unsuitable as LO, following his court conviction in the Raeesah Khan case in 2025, in Parliament on Jan. 14.
In a statement on Jan. 15, PM Wong said the decision to do so is “necessary to uphold the rule of law, as well as the dignity and integrity of Parliament”.
He stated that though Singh had disagreed with the findings and maintained his innocence, “questions of guilt or innocence are determined through the impartial court process”, adding that Singh’s earlier appeal to the High Court had been dismissed.
“This legal outcome is final and conclusive – it must be respected, and given full effect in determining his suitability to continue as the LO.”
WP invited to nominate another MP
PM Wong has also invited WP to nominate another MP to serve as the next LO.
“This nominee should not have been implicated in the earlier findings of the COP , and must be able to meet the high standards expected of this office,” he said.
In his letter to WP’s Central Executive Committee, PM Wong reiterated that the position of LO comes with significant responsibilities.
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“Whoever holds this office must therefore uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and command the trust necessary to carry out these responsibilities on behalf of Parliament and Singaporeans,” he said.
Vote in Parliament
During the vote on Wednesday, all 11 WP members present had recorded their dissent against the motion, except for WP non-constituency MP (NCMP) Eileen Chong, who was absent.
Singh had earlier lifted the party whip on his party’s MPs for this vote, stating that they could vote according to their conscience.
“Failure of leadership”
Before the vote commenced, Indranee had set out the motion against Singh in a 40-minute speech, during which she clarified that the motion does not seek to impose any penalties or sanctions on Singh under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act of 1962 (PPIPA).
The motion asked Parliament to:
- Affirm that honesty and integrity are fundamental pillars of Singapore’s parliamentary system,
- Note the findings of the High Court and COP,
- Express regret at Mr Singh’s conduct which was dishonourable and unbecoming of a Member of Parliament,
- Consider that such conduct renders him unsuitable to continue to hold the office of LO,
- Note that the High Court’s judgment and COP findings have implications for Sylvia Lim and Faisal Manap, which have to be considered separately,
- Call on all MPs to uphold their solemn duty to respect and abide by the law, act with integrity at all times and honour the trust placed in them by Singaporeans.
The only resolution of the six laid out that Singh agreed with in the motion were the first and last ones.
In her speech, Indranee touched on Singh’s role in advising former party member Raeesah Khan to lie, the standards expected of the LO, WP’s slow response in tackling this case, as well as the need to uphold honesty and integrity to maintain public trust in Singapore’s political system.
She said that Singh had shown a “failure of leadership”, and described his conduct as “dishonourable and unbecoming of an MP”.
He had “fallen short of the requirements and standards expected of an LO”, she said.
Singh said his conscience remains clear
However, Singh disagreed with Indranee’s comments.
In his defence on the motion against him, Singh had described how he was “disappointed” in the judgment.
He also disagreed that he had guided Khan to continue with her lie in Parliament, emphasising that his “conscience remains clear, as it will forever”.
Workers’ Party response
The WP released a media statement following the news:
“The Workers’ Party confirms that it has received a letter from the Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong, addressed to the Central Executive Committee (CEC).
We will deliberate on its contents carefully through our internal processes and respond in due course.”
PM Wong’s full statement
“On 14 January 2026, Parliament voted to express regret over Mr Pritam Singh’s conduct, and to express its view that his conviction and conduct rendered him unsuitable to continue as the Leader of the Opposition (LO).
During the Parliamentary debate, Mr Singh reiterated that he accepted the Court’s judgment, but said that he disagreed with the findings and maintained his innocence. Mr Singh is entitled to his personal views on the matter. But questions of guilt or innocence are determined through the impartial court process. Mr Singh was convicted by the District Court of two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP), confirming the COP’s earlier findings. His appeal to the High Court was dismissed. This legal outcome is final and conclusive – it must be respected, and given full effect in determining his suitability to continue as the LO.
Having considered the matter carefully, I have decided that Mr Singh’s criminal convictions, taken together with Parliament’s considered view of his unsuitability, make it no longer tenable for him to continue as the LO. Mr Singh’s designation as the LO will therefore cease with immediate effect. This decision is necessary to uphold the rule of law, as well as the dignity and integrity of Parliament.
I have invited the Workers’ Party to nominate another elected Member of Parliament to serve as the next LO. This nominee should not have been implicated in the earlier findings of the COP , and must be able to meet the high standards expected of this office. I hope to receive their nomination soon, so that this important position in our parliamentary democracy will not remain vacant for too long.”
Top photos via MDDI and Mothership
