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The Workers’ Party (WP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) has approved the formation of a Disciplinary Panel to look into the admissions made by Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan in Parliament on Nov. 1, 2021.

This is following an earlier speech made by Raeesah in Parliament on Aug. 3, 2021 where she claimed she accompanied a rape survivor to make a police report.

Disciplinary Panel

The Disciplinary Panel comprises Secretary-General Pritam Singh, Chair Sylvia Lim and Vice-Chair Faisal Manap.

The Panel will report its findings and recommendations to the CEC after it completes its work.

The statement from WP's media team also added that the work of the party’s Disciplinary Panel is separate from any decision the Committee of Privileges of Parliament may make.

Parliament has the power to take action against MPs who engage in "dishonourable conduct, abuse of privilege or contempt", according to Straits Times.

The punishments include a jail term not extending beyond the current session of Parliament; a fine of up to S$50,000; suspension; a reprimand from the Speaker; or any combination of the above.

Background

On Monday (Nov. 1), Raeesah admitted that she had not been present with the woman whose anecdote she had shared, and had heard the survivor share it in a women’s support group, of which she had been a member.

Leader of the House Indranee Rajah raised an official complaint, and asked for the matter to be referred to the Committee of Privileges. Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin agreed to refer the matter to the Committee.

Also on Monday (Nov. 1), WP chief Pritam Singh put out a statement saying that "MP Raeesah Khan should not have shared an account that contained untruths in the House".

He also noted that parliamentary privilege does not extend to communicating untruthful accounts, even if an MP’s motives are not malicious.

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Top photo via MCI, CNA YouTube.