In a significant development in Singapore’s political landscape, the Parliament has been engaged in a heated debate over the removal of Pritam Singh as the Leader of the Opposition. The motion was initiated by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah, citing Singh’s recent conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee as grounds for his unsuitability to continue in the role.
The controversy traces back to a lie told by former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan over four years ago, which has now culminated in a motion to express regret at Singh’s conduct and deem him unfit to lead the opposition. The motion received support from a majority of Parliament, with all Workers’ Party MPs present, including 10 elected MPs and one Non-constituency MP, recording their dissent.
Furthermore, three Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) have also voiced their opinion that Singh is unsuited to continue as Leader of the Opposition. NMP Kuah Boon Theng emphasized the importance of Singh voluntarily stepping down as a clear sign of acknowledging his mistake and learning from it.
In response to the motion, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has taken decisive action by removing Pritam Singh from his role as Leader of the Opposition. Singh, who assumed the position in 2020 after the general election, has been stripped of his title following the conviction for lying under oath. PM Wong has invited the Workers’ Party to nominate another MP to fill the role, with the condition that the nominee should not have been implicated in the earlier findings of the Committee of Privileges.
The debate and subsequent actions in Parliament have sparked intense discussions among Singaporeans and observers, reflecting the evolving political landscape in the city-state. The outcome of this motion is likely to have far-reaching implications for the future direction of opposition leadership and political accountability in Singapore.
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References:
1. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pritam-singh-parliament-motion-live-5852291
2. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pritam-singh-workers-party-leader-opposition-parliament-motion-5855676
3. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/parliament-pritam-singh-workers-party-motion-leader-opposition-indranee-rajah-5858171
4. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/nominated-mp-pritam-singh-unsuitable-leader-opposition-motion-parliament-5858636
5. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340003/singapores-pm-lawrence-wong-removes-pritam-singh-leader-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed
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