Pritam Singh holds on to party chief position after secret vote at WP special cadres conference

Pritam Singh holds on to party chief position after secret vote at WP special cadres conference The conference was called after 25 cadres asked Mr Singh to account for his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee. SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh has survived a secret vote on his leadership at the opposition party’s special cadres conference on Sunday (Jun 28). The party also held its biennial elections. Ms Sylvia Lim was re-elected as chair of the central executive committee (CEC), and cadres elected 12 other members to the party’s top decision-making body. The other CEC members are: Mr Abdul Muhaimin bin Abdul Malik Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan Mr Gerald Giam Mr Harpreet Singh Ms He Ting Ru Mr Jamus Lim Mr Kenneth Tiong Mr Low Thia Khiang Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Mr Tan Kong Soon The special cadres conference was called after a requisition from 25 cadre members at the end of last year. Mr Singh was asked to account for his conviction on charges of lying to a Committee of Privileges, and to step down from his position or face a secret vote. Ahead of the conference, former secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, who led the party from 2001 to 2018, told reporters he would support Mr Singh. Earlier this year, the CEC issued Mr Singh a letter of reprimand after an internal disciplinary process over his court conviction. The committee accepted findings from a disciplinary panel that Mr Singh had contravened the party constitution, but assessed that he had not intended to act against WP's principles, aims or interests. The three-member disciplinary panel comprised Sengkang GRC MPs Jamus Lim and He Ting Ru, and former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat. Singapore's High Court in December 2025 upheld Mr Singh's conviction on two counts of lying under oath to a parliamentary committee – charges that arose from his handling of a false statement made in parliament by former WP MP Raeesah Khan. Parliament in January backed a motion expressing regret at his conduct, with 10 WP MPs and one Non-Constituency MP recording their dissent. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong subsequently removed Mr Singh as Leader of the Opposition and invited WP to nominate another MP to the role. The party declined. Mr Singh first became WP's secretary-general in 2018 and was re-elected unopposed in 2020, 2022 and 2024.