The Workers’ Party of Singapore on Sunday re-elected Pritam Singh as its Secretary General, despite the opposition leader facing legal and political challenges, including being convicted of lying to Parliament over statements related to a fellow Member of Parliament.
Singh, 50, was returned unopposed by members of the party, the smallest opposition groups in the island state ruled by the People’s Action Party (PAP) ever since independence and separation from neighbouring Malaysia in 1965.
He was also stripped of his title of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) during the legal process involving the lying case.
Singh’s party has 12 seats including two ‘Non-Constituency’ MPs who are admitted to the house on merit of having garnered the largest number of votes among losing contestants.
The PAP led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, has an absolute majority with 87 seats in the house which also includes nine nominated MPs given seats based on merit, such as social work.
Speaking to the media after his re-election, Singh said: “The party understands that its purpose is to behave in a rational and responsible way, and represent Singaporeans faithfully. And if we want to continue to do that, I think we have to close ranks as any reasonable and respectable political party ought to do.”
Singh has been the secretary-general of the Workers’ Party (WP) since 2018 and the Member of Parliament (MP) since 2011. Singh was the first de jure leader of the opposition in post-independence Singapore, an appointment made by the Prime Minister.
The party chair Sylvia Lim, 61, was returned as well to a position she has held since 2003.
The party also elected 12 other members of its top decision-making body – its central executive committee (CEC). Most were re-elected from the previous CEC.
Indian-origin senior counsel Harpreet Singh, 60, joined the CEC, having been unsuccessful in the last general election in May 2025.
