SINGAPORE — Almost a year after the Committee of Privileges (COP) released its findings on the Raeesah Khan case, saying that Workers’ Party leaders Pritam Singh and Faisal Manap were to be referred for criminal proceedings, Law Minister K Shanmugam said that the police are still investigating the conduct of Mr Singh and Mr Faisal.
On Feb 10, 2022, the COP concluded that the leaders of the WP lied about the complaint against Ms Khan and recommended that Mr Singh and Mr Manap be referred to the public prosecutor concerning Mr Singh’s conduct before the committee and Mr Faisal’s possible contempt of Parliament for his refusal to answer “relevant” questions.
A few months later, on Apr 29, the case regarding Mr Singh and Mr Manap was referred by the public prosecutor to the police.
On Tuesday (Feb 7), Mr Shanmugam said, in reply to a parliamentary question from Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (PAP-Chua Chu Kang GRC), said the police probe into the conduct of Mr Singh and Mr Manap is still ongoing.
A lawyer quoted by TODAY said that completing criminal proceedings could take months or even years.
Nevertheless, netizens commenting on Facebook and Reddit wondered by such an investigation would take so long.
On Feb 10, 2022, the COP recommended that Ms Khan be given a S$35,000 fine for having told falsehoods in Parliament on Aug 3 and Oct 4, 2021.
Ms Khan, who had been an MP at Sengkang GRC, dropped a bombshell in Parliament at the beginning of November of that year, admitting she had lied when she told the House on Aug 3 she had accompanied a victim of sexual assault to the police station and accused the police of making inappropriate remarks.
By Nov 30, she announced her resignation from the Workers’ Party and, consequently, her seat in Parliament. In her apology, she revealed that she had been a victim of sexual abuse at 18 while studying overseas and had heard the victim’s story in a support group for sexual abuse survivors.
After her confession, the Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah, said she was referring the matter to Parliament’s Committee of Privileges.
While she expressed sympathy for Ms Khan, Ms Indranee added that she had “no choice” but to raise a complaint about the breach of privilege based on Ms Khan’s disclosure that she had thrice lied in Parliament and also her inability to substantiate an allegation she made. /TISG
‘I’m proud of the party and proud of how quickly we came together as one,’ Pritam Singh says, in wake of Raeesah Khan scandal
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