Singapore PM Lawrence Wong Strips Pritam Singh of Leader of the Opposition Status
Singapore PM Lawrence Wong has terminated Pritam Singh's status as Leader of the Opposition following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
The seat remains, but the man has been moved. In a decisive blow to Singapore's political status quo, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has officially terminated Pritam Singh’s designation as the Leader of the Opposition (LO). The announcement, made on January 15, 2026, follows Singh's criminal conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee, a move Wong described as necessary to uphold the "dignity and integrity of Parliament."
The Legal Fall from Grace and Singh's Conviction
The controversy traces back to August 2021, when former Workers' Party MP Raeesah Khan lied about police misconduct. A subsequent inquiry concluded that Pritam Singh was untruthful during the investigation. On December 4, 2025, the High Court upheld Singh’s conviction on two counts of lying under oath, imposing a fine of S$7,000 per count.
While Singh paid the fines and accepted the verdict "fully and without reservation," he continues to maintain his innocence. In his 20-minute response to Parliament, Singh asserted that his "conscience will always be clear," even as the government moved to strip him of his official title and privileges.
Impact on Singapore Pritam Singh LO Removal and Opposition Power
The removal is not merely symbolic. By losing the LO designation, Singh forfeits the right of first reply during debates, extra speech time, and twice the allowance of a regular MP. This comes at a sensitive time for the Workers’ Party, which saw its vote share rise to 14.99% and its parliamentary presence grow to 12 seats in the May 2025 general election.
According to the Straits Times, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has been criticized by opposition supporters for using the conviction to weaken a political rival. Conversely, the government maintains that the rule of law must apply to everyone, regardless of their political standing.
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