Former Workers’ Party (WP) leader Low Thia Khiang will testify as a prosecution witness in the trial of his successor, Pritam Singh. Singh, the current WP chief and Leader of the Opposition, faces charges of giving false answers to a parliamentary committee investigating the conduct of ex-WP MP Raeesah Khan, who lied in parliament about a sexual assault case.
The trial began on Oct 14, 2024, at the State Courts. Low is one of five prosecution witnesses, alongside Raeesah Khan and former WP members Loh Pei Ying and Yudhishthra Nathan. The case centers on Singh’s alleged false testimony during the December 2021 Committee of Privileges inquiry into Khan’s misconduct.
The Allegations
Singh is accused of wilfully providing false answers during two sittings on Dec 10 and Dec 15, 2021, regarding the timeline of events leading up to Khan’s admission of lying. The charges fall under Section 31(q) of the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act, marking the first such prosecution in Singapore’s post-independence history.
Khan, who had claimed in parliament that she accompanied a rape victim to a police station where the victim was mistreated, later admitted that her story was false. Singh’s charges relate to whether he had directed Khan to come clean before her eventual confession on Nov 1, 2021.
Low Thia Khiang Role
Low’s involvement was revealed during the prosecution’s opening statement, where it was disclosed that Singh and WP chairperson Sylvia Lim had informed Low of Khan’s lie during a meeting on Oct 11, 2021, at Low’s home. The prosecution contends that Low advised Singh and Lim to have Khan clarify her lie in parliament as soon as possible. Low’s testimony will focus on this exchange and the advice he gave during the meeting.
Other Prosecution Witnesses
Raeesah Khan will be the first to testify, followed by former WP members Loh Pei Ying and Yudhishthra Nathan, who both resigned from the party after the scandal. Both had close interactions with Khan after she lied in parliament and testified during the Committee of Privileges hearings.
The final prosecution witness will be Roy Lim, the head of the Special Investigation Section at the Singapore Police Force, who led the investigation and collected statements from key figures, including Singh.
Trial and Potential Consequences
The trial is expected to run for 16 days, with Singh’s defense yet to confirm if he will testify. If convicted, Singh faces a maximum penalty of a $7,000 fine, up to three years in prison, or both for each charge. His role as an MP could also be jeopardized, as the Constitution mandates disqualification if a sitting MP is jailed for at least one year or fined $10,000 or more.
This high-profile trial could have significant political ramifications, as Singh is the first opposition leader in Singapore to face such charges under the Parliament Act.
