Pritam Singh's disbarment marks likely end of long-running Raeesah Khan saga, say analysts
The time and public resources directed at the saga symbolise that upholding honesty in politics matters, even when it comes at some cost, one political analyst said.
Singapore's Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh was disbarred on Thursday, effectively ending a five-year saga that began in 2021, according to analysts. The saga started when opposition party Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan told a false anecdote in parliament about accompanying a sexual assault survivor to a police station. Khan later admitted to lying, followed by Singh, who was later fined S$14,000 (US$10,900) after being found guilty of giving false evidence to a Committee of Privileges (COP) investigation.
The disbarment marks the likely conclusion of the saga, with analysts stating that Singaporeans may have formed their views on the case by now. Assistant Professor Benjamin Joshua Ong of Singapore Management University (SMU) emphasized that honesty in politics matters, even if it comes at a cost, such as parliamentary and judicial time being diverted from pressing issues.
The disbarment is expected to have minimal impact on Singh's career, as he remains focused on his political service and constituency.
Written by urgent.news from CNA - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
