Singapore opposition leader charged with lying to parliament

Singapore’s opposition leader Pritam Singh has been charged with lying under oath over a case involving a former lawmaker in his party.

The case involves former MP Raeesa Khan who had accused the police of mishandling a matter involving a sexual assault victim.

Ms Khan was fined after it emerged that she had lied about the incident.

She later said Mr Singh encouraged her to continue her narrative despite finding out it was not true.

Mr Singh, chief of the opposition Workers’ Party, has pleaded not guilty.

If found guilty, he faces a jail term of up to three years or a maximum fine of S$7,000 (£4,100; $5,200), or both.

In August 2021, Ms Khan – then a lawmaker from the Workers’ Party – claimed that she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to the police station and alleged police misbehaved towards the victim. But she refused to provide details of the visit when pressed, and admitted in November that year that the anecdote was not true.

Ms Khan was fined S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege. She has since resigned from the party.

A parliamentary committee tasked with investigating the incident concluded that Mr Singh had not been truthful in his testimony while under oath. It recommended further investigation by the public prosecutor.

Singapore’s parliament voted in favour of the committee’s recommendation in February 2022. After the charges were read out in court on Tuesday, Mr Singh, who had appeared without a lawyer, said he would contest them.

In Singapore, MPs who are convicted of an offence could lose their seats.