SINGAPORE: The Peoples Action Party (PAP) will not seek the suspension of Pritam Singh as Member of Parliament (MP) while legal proceedings over his charges are ongoing.
The Workers’ Party chief was handed two charges on Tuesday (Mar 19) for making false statements before a parliamentary committee that was looking into the conduct of his party’s former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who lied in the House in 2021.
In a media statement, PAP organising secretary Grace Fu said there have been queries about whether the party will, through its MPs, be seeking to suspend Singh given that he has been formally charged.
PAP MPs will not be doing so, Ms Fu said, adding that the party will not comment on the merits of the case as it is now before the courts.
“This is in line with parliament’s resolution to defer any sanctions in respect of Mr Singh’s, Ms Sylvia Lim’s and Mr Faisal’s respective roles in the matter of former MP Raeesah Khan’s untruth, until after the conclusion of the investigations and criminal proceedings (if any) against Mr Singh,” she said.
Ms Khan admitted to lying in parliament in 2021 over a rape case that she had alleged was mishandled by the police. She was then referred to the Committee of Privileges for breach of parliamentary privilege.
Several witnesses, including Singh and WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap, testified during the hearings that took place in late 2021 and early 2022.
In its final report in February 2022, the Committee of Privileges recommended that Singh and Mr Faisal be referred to the public prosecutor for lying while testifying under oath. The public prosecutor later referred both cases to the police.
