WP will respond at 'appropriate forum and juncture'; Pritam prepared to give evidence to Committee of Privileges

[SINGAPORE] Since Parliament's Committee of Privileges' work in still in progress, it is prudent for the Workers' Party (WP) to respond to the allegations against the party's leaders at an appropriate forum and juncture, said the WP on Sunday (Dec 5), in reference to the interim report released by the Committee of Privileges late last Friday.

It also reiterated that party chief and Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh, had made it clear at the party's press conference on Dec 2, that he is prepared to give evidence before the committee.

Sunday's statement was the first time the WP has addressed the public since the Committee of Privileges released a report on Friday night.

The committee had been tasked to look into a complaint against former WP Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan, who resigned from the WP as an MP for Sengkang GRC last Tuesday after admitting to having lied in Parliament.

The report stated that according to Khan, Singh, WP chairman Sylvia Lim and WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap had told her to stick to the lie she had told in Parliament on Aug 3.

The party said it noted the release of the interim report by the committee "without having taken the evidence of Workers' Party leaders against whom serious allegations have been made".

It added: "Some members of the public have asked why Workers' Party leaders have not responded thus far to the interim report released by the Committee of Privileges. We understand that the Committee's work remains in progress. It is thus prudent for a response to be given at the appropriate forum and juncture." It also expressed gratitude to those who had conveyed messages of encouragement to the party, including residents of Aljunied GRC, Hougang SMC and Sengkang GRC, party members, volunteers, as well as members of the public.

Friday's special report was published on Parliament's website, alongside footage of the committee's hearings over the past 2 days.

Some of the report's statements were contrary to what the party had said at a press conference last Thursday, such as that Khan had been told by Singh to clarify the matter in Parliament in October.

Khan and her former assistant Loh Pei Ying gave evidence to the committee last Thursday and Friday, while the volunteer, Yudhishthra Nathan, did so on Friday. Khan's former legislative assistant Lim Hang Ling testified on Thursday.

THE STRAITS TIMES