Pritam Singh, the leader of Singapore’s largest opposition party, the Workers’ Party, has been stripped of his title as the Leader of the Opposition. The move was announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday, a day after Parliament approved a motion stating that Singh was “unsuitable” for the role due to his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
Singh, 49, is a prominent figure in Singapore’s political landscape, which has long been dominated by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). He is known for his strong oratory skills in Parliament and at election rallies, and has been touted as “new blood” for the centre-left Workers’ Party.
Singh’s political journey has been marked by a series of challenges. In 2020, he became Singapore’s first-ever Leader of the Opposition, a title that was previously offered to his predecessor, Low Thia Khiang, but was rejected as “belittling” unless offered officially.
However, much of the trouble Singh has faced has surrounded his handling of Raeesah Khan, a former lawmaker from his party who confessed to lying to Parliament. During a parliamentary committee investigation, Khan said the party’s leaders, including Singh, had told her to “continue with the narrative” despite knowing the truth.
In February 2025, a court convicted Singh of giving false testimony to the parliamentary committee. While he maintained his innocence throughout the trial and lost his appeal against the verdict last December, the damage had been done.
The motion passed by lawmakers on Wednesday stated that Singh’s handling of Khan’s case “renders him unsuitable” to continue being the Leader of the Opposition, and that his staying on in the role “would undermine the standing of Parliament and public confidence in the integrity of Singapore’s political system.”
Singh has vowed to continue his work as a Member of Parliament, even after the loss of his title. He told Parliament during the debate that he accepted the court’s judgment, even though he did not agree with it, and that his “conscience will always be clear” with regard to the charges he faced.
The stripping of Singh’s opposition leader title is a significant development in Singapore’s political landscape, raising questions about the future of the Workers’ Party and the opposition’s role in the country’s political system.