SINGAPORE – Singapore’s opposition leader has avoided disqualification from elections after the court imposed a fine below the threshold that would have stripped him of his parliamentary membership and barred him from running in the upcoming general election this November.
Pritam Singh, leader of the Workers’ Party (WP) and head of Singapore’s opposition, was charged with two counts of giving false statements to Parliament. A lower court ruled on February 17 that he was guilty and fined him 7,000 Singapore dollars (approximately 176,230 baht)—an amount below the constitutional threshold for disqualification. According to Singapore’s constitution, any individual convicted and fined 10,000 Singapore dollars (approximately 251,750 baht) or more, or sentenced to at least one year in prison, would be disqualified from running for office and removed from Parliament.
Singh, 48, has maintained his innocence and announced that he will appeal the ruling.
This case is a significant political development in Singapore, as Singh has risen as a key opposition figure at a time when the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed the country since its founding, is experiencing declining popularity. In the last general election in July 2020, Singh’s party gained one additional parliamentary seat, increasing from 9 to 10—a historic victory for the opposition since Singapore’s independence in 1965.
With the next general election set for November 2025, the WP aims to gain even more seats, posing a major challenge for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who took office in May 2024 after Lee Hsien Loong stepped down following nearly 20 years in power. (TNA)
