Singapore court finds opposition party leader guilty of lying to parliament

By Bing Hong Lok

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Singapore court on Monday found opposition Workers' Party leader Pritam Singh guilty of two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee, a verdict that could see him barred from contesting a general election this year.  

Singh's sentencing is due later on Monday. He had pleaded not guilty and the prosecution has asked for a maximum fine of S$7,000 ($5,231) for each charge. 

If the fine amounts to more than S$10,000, or if Singh is jailed for more than one year, he would be unable to run in the election. 

The charges against Singh, 48, stem from allegations he gave false testimony to a parliamentary committee in 2021 about a fellow party member, Raeesah Khan, lying to parliament.

Singh had maintained he had urged Khan to own up to parliament about her lie, but Judge Luke Tan on Monday said there was ample evidence and witness testimony to prove otherwise.

"Ms Khan admitted to other WP leaders she had lied, there was absolutely no follow-up from the accused," Tan told the court. "This could only be because the accused had mentioned this was 'probably something we should take to the grave'."

The verdict comes as Singapore gears up for a general election that must be held by November, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's first since taking over as the city-state's leader last year. 

Wong's People's Action Party is almost certain to dominate and win most seats as it has in every vote since independence in 1965, although its share of the popular vote will be closely watched after one of its worst electoral performances in the last contest in 2020.

Singh’s Workers’ Party made inroads in that election, expanding its parliamentary seats to 10 from six, but it has since suffered image blows from Khan's resignation over the false statement and another lawmaker stepping down over an extramarital affair.

Wong is set to deliver his budget speech on Tuesday, expected to focus on cost of living issues, employment and housing, buoyed by a stronger-than-expected growth last year and lower inflation.  

(Reporting by Bing Hong Lok; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)