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In Parliament on Tuesday (Feb. 15), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave a speech sharing his support for the Committee of Privileges' recommendations regarding falsehoods stated by former Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan.

It was the first time he spoke in Parliament since Sep. 2, 2020, when he teared up during his speech during the debate on the President's Address.

WP leadership lying under oath would be more serious than Raeesah's actions

PM Lee said that the Committee of Privileges had assessed two separate issues:

1. Whether the three MPs — Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, WP vice-chair Faisal Manap, and WP Chairwoman Sylvia Lim — had instructed Raeesah to lie.
2. Whether the three MPs lied under oath.

Both, if established, would "reflect very badly on the WP leaders, and in particular, on the Leader of the Opposition", PM Lee said.

He added that failing to properly deal with both issues would dishonour Parliament and “bring this august institution into disrepute”.

He said that, if the COP's findings are correct, that would mean that the WP leaders had lied under oath in order to protect themselves, cover up their role, and push the blame onto Raeesah alone by claiming that Raeesah and other witnesses, such as WP cadre Loh Pei Ying, had lied to the COP.

"This is indeed more serious than what Ms Khan did, if it is so."

By doing so, they "sought to frustrate the Committee process" and "displayed the same kind of misconduct that the Committee was set up to address", PM said.

"They betrayed the trust reposed in them as MPs — and not least Mr Singh, the Leader of the Opposition."

"We must take the transgression seriously"

PM Lee said that it is now on the MPs to decide what Parliament will do about the COP's findings.

To pretend nothing happened or to "lower our standards just a little, note that untruths were told, but argue that it was after all not so serious a lie, and no harm was done" would be to "become complicit in dishonouring and demeaning Parliament", he said.

He stated that he hopes that MPs appreciate that the situation, if it is true, is a "grave matter".

"We must take the transgression seriously, and act on it. And I am glad that is the conclusion the Committee has come to and recommended to the House."

Not an option to take matter lightly

One alternative, PM Lee said, could have been to recommend that Parliament give the WP a "token slap on the wrist". However, doing so would "show that we were taking a very serious matter rather lightly", and even worse, "we would be telling Singaporeans that it is really not so bad for elected leaders to lie".

Another alternative would have been for the COP to recommend that Parliament itself carry out an appropriately heavy penalty — something, he noted, that is within Parliament’s power to do.

PM Lee said that if the COP had done so, though, "the opposition would surely have cried foul, and accused the PAP of using its majority to persecute the opposition".

He said that there are already currently insinuations of this, calling them a “smokescreen to obscure the real issue — that the Workers' Party had lied while under a solemn oath”.

Leader of the Opposition does not have a blank cheque: PM Lee

PM Lee also pushed back at the idea that the PAP is trying to persecute the opposition, saying that he "accept[s]" that Singaporeans would like to see more political contestation.

He said that it was "precisely because I recognised this" that he offered Singh the position of Leader of the Opposition on the night of the 2020 General Election.

"That is the way a responsible government can help a credible, responsible opposition to emerge, and contribute to the maturing of our political system."

However, he said, the office of Leader of the Opposition has certain responsibilities, including setting the tone for opposition MPs, enforcing standards of conduct within the party, and "above all, maintaining his own integrity and keeping himself beyond reproach."

"The Leader of the Opposition does not have a blank cheque," PM Lee stated.

Should let courts decide

PM Lee voiced his strong support for the COP's recommendations:

"Since a criminal offence appears to have been committed, let Parliament refer the matter to the Public Prosecutor. Let the Public Prosecutor consider the evidence afresh. Let the system work."

Singh and Faisal can defend themselves in court, PM Lee added. "If they are innocent, they have nothing to fear."

He said that if he were Pritam, he would vote in favour of both motions and demand a court trial, in order to "have the full opportunity to defend himself, vindicate his reputation, and clear his name".

PM Lee lambasted WP supporters for "doing their best to confuse the issues and rouse sympathy" on social media, even before Singh and Faisal are judged before the court.

PM Lee rejects idea that referring Pritam and Faisal to Public Prosecutor is politically motivated

He stated that some WP supporters were claiming that referring Singh's and Faisal's case to the Public Prosecutor is political persecution.

"What they are really saying is this: 'Don’t look too carefully at what Mr Singh did. Just remember who he is: He is the Opposition that you voted for. He is the Leader of the Opposition.

By virtue of his position, he should not be referred to the Public Prosecutor, and any action against him must, by definition, be politically motivated. Because who he is is more important than what he has done – even if he may have committed a crime.'"

PM Lee said that while it would be "easier" to not pursue the matter or to find a compromise, the government would not do so:

"[A]s long as the PAP is the government, we will not shy away from doing whatever is necessary to uphold the right norms in this House, and to imbue Singaporeans and their leaders with the values critical to sustain trust in the system, and critical to our success."

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Top photo via YouTube / MCI.