'I'm still standing in politics': Pritam Singh says he'll run in GE2025 despite conviction & will appeal

Pritam Singh intends to stay in politics and run in the upcoming general elections.

At a doorstop following his conviction and sentencing on Feb. 17, the Leader of the Opposition said that he will do so "consistent with the advice that [he has] been given" about his eligibility to participate in the elections.

He referenced a 1976 case in which a People's Action Party (PAP) MP was convicted of corruption, but not disqualified from continuing on as a member of parliament.

Asked by reporters if he might be forced to consider stepping down, Singh replied: "I think the need of the hour is for me to step up, not step down."

He added that the elections are imminent and that the Workers' Party (WP) plans to "fight hard" in them.

"The party's morale, insofar as my reading is concerned, is not affected," he added.

"The path of choosing opposition politics is not for the faint-hearted, and I am grateful and privileged to be in the company of fellow party members who have worked hard to provide an alternative to Singaporeans, at least insofar as having a proper check and balance in parliament."

Eligible to run?

Singh also referenced the same 1976 case in a social media post uploaded shortly after leaving court.

Along with his statement, he posted a screenshot of a ministerial statement about the case, which involved PAP MP Wee Toon Boon.

"The leader of the House and minister of law at the time made it quite clear how the law ought to be read," Singh told reporters.

In 1975, Wee was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and had been charged and convicted of corruption involving a sum of over S$800,000.

He was also convicted and sentenced to four years and six months in jail.

But while this would have meant he was automatically disqualified as an MP, his appeal led to his conviction on the fourth charge being quashed.

His other convictions, which came with six months’ imprisonment sentences, were upheld. Wee's total sentence was 18 months.

A statement put out by the government confirmed that this revised sentence meant he would not be automatically disqualified as an MP (although he later resigned).

This was because according to the Singapore constitution at the time, a convicted MP must be sentenced to no less than 12 months' imprisonment or to a fine of no less than S$2,000 for each charge in order to be disqualified.

“Mr Wee would not by virtue of his convictions and sentences, be disqualified from remaining as a MP,” the statement read.

In a separate statement issued on Feb. 17, the Elections Department confirmed that to be disqualified, an MP must be convicted of a single sentence upwards of a year's jail, or a S$10,000 fine.

Multiple sentences cannot be added together.

Appeal

Singh said that he plans to appeal the conviction and sentence, a point which he reiterated in a same-day social media post.

"It's a disappointing verdict," he said to the media outside the State Courts on Feb. 17.

In a separate media statement, WP chair Sylvia Lim acknowledged Singh's intent to appeal.

"The law must take its course and out of prudence, it would be unwise for the Party to comment on the merits of the matter," she said.

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Top image by Andrew Koay