Singapore Opposition Leader Convicted of Lying as Poll Looms

  • Pritam Singh of Workers’ Party intends to appeal the decision
  • His party cast itself as a check on the People’s Action Party
Pritam Singh on Feb. 17.Photographer: Lionel Ng/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Singapore’s leader of the opposition was convicted for lying in a widely watched decision with the judge handing down fines that saw the politician dodge a ban from contesting in a national election this year.

Pritam Singh, 48, was found guilty of two charges of lying to a parliament committee. Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan ordered Singh to pay the maximum fine of S$7,000 ($5,224) for each of the charges, which according to election rules is below the S$10,000 per offense that would have also barred him from being a member of parliament for five years.