What you should know about WP chief Pritam Singh’s trial over alleged parliament lies, Singapore News

Opposition leader and Workers’ Party (WP) leader Pritam Singh will appear in court on Monday (October 14) over alleged lies to parliament.

Singh (48) faces two counts of lying to the parliamentary committee that investigated the case of former Republican Party MP Raeesah Khan.

When he was charged with two charges under the Parliament Act in March, he pleaded not guilty and decided not to move the trial to the Supreme Court in August.

The 16-day trial in State Courts is scheduled for November 13.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming trial.

What are the fees?

Singh was charged with two charges under Art. 31 letter q) Acts of Parliament (privileges, immunities and powers).

According to the Act, it is a crime to lie when answering a question relevant to the subject of the investigation during a hearing before the Parliament or a committee.

In August 2021, former MP Sengkang Khan lied in parliament about a sexual assault case and accused the police of mishandling the case.

Three months later, she apologized in parliament and resigned from WP after her claims were deemed untrue.

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The Privileges Committee convened in November 2021 found that Singh and party vice president Faisal Manap “did not lie in their affidavits” when called as witnesses.

Singh allegedly lied on December 10, 2021, about a meeting he had on August 8 with Khan, WP chairperson Sylvia Lim and WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap when he wanted her to clarify in parliament an untruth she had said on August 3 the same year.

He also allegedly falsely testified on December 10 and 15, 2021, that he wanted Khan to admit lying in parliament when he spoke to her on October 3 this year.

In February 2022, the commission recommended that Singh and Faisal be referred to the prosecutor’s office for further investigation, and Parliament voted in favor of their recommendation.

Although Singh was charged with two charges in March this year, the prosecutor’s office decided not to file charges against Faisal.

The Vice-Chairman of the Polish Parliament was advised to familiarize himself with the conduct expected of the MP.

If you are convicted of lying under the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act, you could be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $7,000, or both.

Singh demands trial

Arriving alone in state courts on March 19, Singh pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

He also asked for a four-week adjournment of the hearing to seek advice from counsel.

Shortly after the hearing, Singh posted on Facebook stating that he would continue to fulfill his parliamentary and City Council duties.

“When I first entered politics a few years ago, I had no illusions about the challenges we faced in building a more sustainable and democratic political system in Singapore,” he added.

“Even as this work continues, it has been an honor and privilege to be part of the Workers’ Party team supporting this cause.”

Singh is currently represented by lawyers from the law firm of Andre Jumabhoy.

On August 26, Singh’s lawyers moved to transfer his case from state courts to the Supreme Court, citing the case of former transport minister S. Iswaran.

However, on September 9, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng dismissed Singh’s application, saying his case was different from Iswaran’s.

She rejected his argument that his status as a politician raised significant public interest considerations.

“All defendants, regardless of their status, are to be treated equally,” Justice Hoo said, adding: “There is no justification for treating politicians differently from other defendants.”

After the hearing, Singh admitted that he and his lawyers “were aware that securing a transfer would be difficult” and argued that his request was “very important, if not critical.”

“While I disagree with many aspects of the prosecutor’s decision to transfer Iswaran’s case, while taking a different position on my case, I appreciate their work and that of the High Court in responding to my application,” he said.

What’s next?

Earlier this year, several experts told The Straits Times that Singh was unlikely to lose his Aljunied seat even if convicted.

Based on the available evidence and taking into account the totality of the circumstances, the Attorney General’s Chamber concluded that the prosecution intends to ask the court to impose a fine on each of the charges if he is found guilty.

The constitution states that a member of parliament convicted of “an offense… and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than $10,000” faces disqualification from parliament.

However, Singh could still face a prison sentence if the court deems it appropriate, SMU assistant professor of law Benjamin Joshua Ong told the Straits Times.

This is because the courts are not bound by the prosecutor’s arguments and can impose a higher or lower penalty.

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