Singapore: Singapore's Parliament is set to hold a debate next week on whether Indian-origin opposition leader Pritam Singh should continue in his position. This follows his conviction and fine for providing false information to a parliamentary committee. The discussion, scheduled for January 12, was initiated through a formal motion introduced by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah.

The motion states that Singh's conviction and behavior make him unfit to remain as Leader of the Opposition, describing his actions as dishonourable and inappropriate for a Member of Parliament, according to news agency PTI. The proposal focuses on whether Singh, who heads the Workers Party, should be allowed to continue in his leadership role. It argues that his actions could damage the standing of Parliament and weaken public confidence in Singapore's political institutions. Singh was ordered to pay a fine of SGD 14,000 (around USD 10,700) in February last year.

The matter is linked to a separate case involving former party member Raeesah Khan, who acknowledged making untrue statements in Parliament in August 2021 and later stepped down from her position. In addition, Singh's recent attempt to challenge his conviction was dismissed by the High Court.

Singh holds the distinction of being Singapore's first officially recognized Leader of the Opposition in modern times. The position comes with significant responsibilities and parliamentary privileges. Meanwhile, the ruling Peoples Action Party continues to dominate the legislature, holding 87 of the 97 parliamentary seats.

At present, the Workers Party has 12 representatives in Parliament, including two non-constituency members who secured their seats by receiving the highest vote share among losing candidates. This upcoming debate represents a significant development in Singapore's political landscape, which has largely been controlled by the Peoples Action Party since independence.