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Pritam Singh

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For other people named Pritam Singh, see Pritam Singh (disambiguation).
The Honourable
Pritam Singh
Official portrait, 2021
9th Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 August 2020
de facto: 8 April 2018 – 23 June 2020
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Lawrence Wong
Preceded byLow Thia Khiang[1]
9th Secretary-General of the Workers' Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 April 2018
ChairwomanSylvia Lim Swee Lian
(since 2003)
Vice-ChairmanFaisal Manap
(since 2016)
Preceded byLow Thia Khiang
Member of Parliament
for Aljunied GRC
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 May 2011
Preceded byPAP held
Majority
  • 2011: 12,460 (9.44%)
  • 2015: 2,626 (1.92%)
  • 2020: 28,485 (19.90%)
  • 2025: 25,783 (19.42%)
Personal details
Born
Pritam Singh

(1976-08-02) 2 August 1976 (age 48)
Singapore
Political partyWorkers' Party
Spouse
Loveleen Kaur Walia
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
Alma materNational University of Singapore (BA)
King's College London (MA)
Singapore Management University (JD)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer
  • author
Military service
Branch/serviceSingapore Army
Years of service1994–2002
RankMajor[2]

Pritam Singh[a] (born 2 August 1976) is a Singaporean politician, author and lawyer who has served as the Secretary-General of the Workers' Party (WP) since 2018 and the Leader of the Opposition since 2020. A member of the Parliament of Singapore since 2011, he represents the Eunos division of Aljunied GRC. Singh is the first politician to be formally appointed as Leader of the Opposition in Singapore’s history. Under his leadership, the Workers' Party has maintained its position as the largest opposition party in Parliament, holding ten elected seats following the 2020 general election.

Singh graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, winning the Straits Steamship Prize in 1999 for being the top undergraduate student in history and political science.[4] He went on to pursue postgraduate studies at King's College London on a Chevening Scholarship, earning a Master of Arts degree in war studies in 2004.[5][6] Singh subsequently returned to Singapore and enrolled in the Juris Doctor programme at the Singapore Management University, completing his legal studies and being called to the bar in 2011. In 2013, he joined the litigation and dispute resolution department of Donaldson & Burkinshaw, Singapore’s oldest law firm.

Singh entered politics with the Workers' Party and contested in the 2011 general election, where the party won Aljunied GRC, marking the first GRC victory for any opposition party. Singh has retained his seat in subsequent general elections. He succeeded Low Thia Khiang as Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party on 8 April 2018 as part of a leadership transition. From 2018 to 2020, Singh functioned as the de facto Leader of the Opposition. Following the party’s performance in the 2020 general election, where it won Hougang SMC and Sengkang GRC in addition to Aljunied GRC, Singh was formally appointed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as the de jure Leader of the Opposition, a role which grants him additional parliamentary responsibilities and resources.

Early life and education

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Singh was born on 2 August 1976 in Singapore.[7][8] He is the younger of two children. His father served as a district judge and had earlier held a commission as a military officer.[9][10] Singh attended Woodsville Primary School and Belvedere Primary School before moving on to Saint Thomas Secondary School, where he studied in the Normal (Academic) stream. He subsequently enrolled at Jurong Junior College before being awarded the Singapore Armed Forces's Local Study Award to pursue undergraduate studies. He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.[11][12]

Following his undergraduate education, Singh pursued postgraduate studies at King's College London, where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in war studies in 2004 under the Chevening Scholarship.[2] He later completed a diploma in Islamic studies from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2005.[13] In 2007, Singh co-founded Opinion Asia, an online syndicate that focused on analysis and commentary about Asian affairs and communities.[14] He returned to Singapore to read law at the Singapore Management University, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2011.[2][15]

Career

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Military career

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Singh enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces in 1994 and served as a commissioned officer between 1996 and 2002. During his service, he was a combat engineer.[16] At present, he is a reservist commander with the rank of Major.[2]

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In 2013, Singh joined the litigation and dispute resolution practice at Donaldson & Burkinshaw, Singapore's oldest law firm.[15][17]

Political career

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Singh posing with a family at a hawker centre in 2021
Singh with an elderly constituent in 2021

Singh joined the Workers' Party around 2010[18] while completing a juris doctor degree at the Singapore Management University, citing its "level-headedness and leadership" as his primary motivator.[19]

2011 election

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During the 2011 general election, Singh was part of the five-member Workers' Party team which contested in Aljunied GRC. The team included the party's secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, chairwoman Sylvia Lim and members Chen Show Mao and Faisal Manap. They faced the team from the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP), which was led by Foreign Affairs minister George Yeo. The Workers' Party's team defeated the PAP team by 72,289 votes (54.7%) to 59,829 (45.2%),[20] marking the first occasion in Singapore's history in which an opposition party had won an election in a GRC.

Since the election, Singh has represented the Eunos ward within the constituency in Parliament.[21] Singh was appointed as the assistant secretary general on the party's executive council.[22] Singh was also previously the chairman of the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council (AHTC) from 2016 to 2020.

Leadership of the Workers' Party

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In 2017, after Low Thia Khiang announced that he was contemplating retirement as well as wanting to rejuvenate the party for "younger blood", Singh was widely regarded to be the next chief of the Workers' Party before the general election that would have been scheduled to be held by 2021.[23] Subsequently, Singh was eventually confirmed as secretary-general of the Workers' Party on 8 April 2018 after Low stepped down for a leadership self-renewal.[24]

2020 general election

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The results of the 2020 general election saw Singh, together with Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap and former NCMPs Gerald Giam and Leon Perera, being re-elected to represent the Aljunied GRC constituents, with an increased share of the vote of 59.95%, defeating the PAP team that received 40.05%.[25] The Workers' Party had also won Hougang SMC, its stronghold which has been held since 1991,[26] and the newly created Sengkang GRC,[25] the first time the Workers' Party had won a general election in a second GRC.[27]

False testimony to Committee of Privileges

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Following Raeesah Khan's admission in Parliament on 1 November 2021 that she had lied about a sexual assault case, the Committee of Privileges (COP) initiated an inquiry into the conduct of several Workers' Party leaders. On 10 February 2022, the COP recommended that Singh and Faisal Manap be referred to the Public Prosecutor to assess whether criminal proceedings were warranted for potentially providing false statements to the committee.[28] Parliament voted on 15 February 2022 to endorse this recommendation.[29] Two years later, on 19 March 2024, Singh was charged with two counts of giving false evidence to a parliamentary committee under Section 31(q) of the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962. He appeared in court without legal representation, pleaded not guilty, and opted to claim trial.[30][31] Despite being charged, Singh retained his seat in Parliament, as the legal proceedings did not meet the constitutional thresholds for disqualification.[32]

On 17 April 2024, Singh appointed lawyers Andre Jumabhoy (grandson of Rajabali Jumabhoy) and Aristotle Emmanuel Eng Zhen Yang to act in his defence.[33] The trial was scheduled to begin on 14 October and span 16 days, concluding on 13 November, with Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan presiding.[34] On 17 February 2025, Singh was found guilty on both charges and fined $7,000 for each count.[35][36] He has filed an appeal. The conviction does not disqualify him from contesting elections or serving as an MP, as each fine falls below the disqualification threshold of $10,000 on a single charge stipulated under Article 45 of the Constitution.[37][38][39]

2025 general election

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Singh campaigning in 2025

In the 2025 general election, Singh contested in Aljunied GRC as both the leader of the WP and as an incumbent MP. He led a revised slate that included incumbent MPs Gerald Giam and Sylvia Lim, alongside two new candidates. Fadli Fawzi replaced Faisal Manap who chose to contest in Tampines GRC, a decision Singh later described as fulfilling a long-standing wish for Faisal.[40] The other newcomer, Kenneth Tiong, succeeded Leon Perera, who had resigned in 2023.

The PAP fielded four changes in Aljunied GRC from 2020, led by Chan Hui Yuh.[41] Despite the changes on both sides, the WP retained the constituency with a vote share of 59.71% to the PAP's 40.29%, securing a fourth consecutive term for the party in the GRC since its historic victory in 2011.[42]

Leader of the Opposition (2020–present)

[edit]

Following the 2020 general election, in which the WP won ten seats in Parliament, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the formal designation of Singh as Leader of the Opposition.[1][43] This marked the first time in Singapore's parliamentary history that the office had been officially established. Prior to this, the role was informal and held no statutory or procedural standing under either the Constitution or the Standing Orders of Parliament. Singh's appointment was accompanied by provisions for dedicated staff support and resources, including a research team, a secretarial office and facilities commensurate with the responsibilities of leading opposition scrutiny in Parliament.

The establishment of the formal office of the Leader of the Opposition also brought with it a revised salary structure. It was announced that the position would carry an annual salary of S$385,000, double that of an ordinary Member of Parliament in recognition of its expanded scope and constitutional significance. Singh later clarified that he would donate half of the salary increment arising from his new designation. He pledged to allocate the funds to a combination of party activities, charitable causes and constituency needs, thereby affirming his continued commitment to both civic service and political accountability.[44]

As Leader of the Opposition, Singh also began to take on a more pronounced policy advocacy role within Parliament. In October 2020, he called for the introduction of a universal monthly minimum wage of S$1,300 to replace the existing progressive wage model, arguing that a uniform wage floor would better uphold the dignity of low-income workers and address income inequality more effectively.[45] In February 2023, Singh further proposed that an English language proficiency requirement be introduced for applicants seeking Singaporean citizenship or permanent residency, contending that it would aid integration and align with the country's linguistic and civic norms.[46]

In 2025, during his first podcast appearance on Keluar Sekejap with Malaysian politicians Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan, Singh said that the WP aims to be ready to govern should the ruling PAP suffer a "serious failure", calling this a form of "political insurance" for Singapore. He emphasised that he does not aspire to be Prime Minister, but seeks to normalise a credible opposition and grow the party in line with the "pragmatic outlook of Singaporean voters". Singh also noted that while other opposition parties take more radical stances, the WP aims to stay relatable and effective within the current political context.[18][47]

Personal life

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Singh is of Punjabi ancestry and is a practising Sikh.[48][49] He married Loveleen Kaur Walia, a Singaporean theatre practitioner, in 2012.[9][50] The couple have two daughters.[51]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ His name is sometimes transliterated to Bì Dānxīng (毕丹星) in Singapore's Chinese-language media.[3]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "GE2020: Election results a clear mandate for PAP but also reflects desire for more diversity of voices in Parliament, says PM". The Straits Times. 11 July 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Workers' Party's new Secretary-General: 10 things to know about Pritam Singh". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  3. ^ "【GE2025】毕丹星：不确定时期仍可放心投工人党". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). 24 April 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  4. ^ Exclusive Interview with Pritam Singh, Univantage, SMU, October 2011
  5. ^ 2011's Chevening Scholars Archived 18 July 2012 at archive.today, British High Commission Singapore website, retrieved 8 April 2012.
  6. ^ News from our alumni Archived 25 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, kcl.ac.uk, retrieved 8 April 2012.
  7. ^ Koh, Jamie. "Sikh community". Infopedia. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  8. ^ "MP". Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Lunch With Sumiko: WP chief Pritam Singh on the need to keep calm and stay grounded". Straits Times. 17 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  10. ^ "WP chief Pritam Singh reveals his father wasn't against him joining an opposition party". mothership.sg. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  11. ^ Teo, Melissa (17 September 2021). "Dropouts, neighbourhood schools and Normal stream: These people made it big without going to 'elite schools'". AsiaOne. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Pritam Singh is Singapore's first formally designated Leader of the Opposition". Tatler Asia. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  13. ^ Pritam Singh Archived 26 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, wp.sg, retrieved 6 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Pritam Singh" (PDF). law.smu.edu.sg. The Straits Times. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  15. ^ a b "SINGH Pritam". Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2013., Donaldson & Burkinshaw website, retrieved 3 February 2013.
  16. ^ "'Loss of fellow NSman hits close to home': WP's Pritam Singh on Aloysius Pang's death". CNA. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Pritam Singh elected as new Workers' Party chief". sg.news.yahoo.com. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  18. ^ a b Pritam Singh (24 June 2025). "EP160 | Mengapa Politik? Cabaran Pembangkang, Dominasi PAP, Hubungan Serantau, Masa Depan Tanpa PAP" [Why Politics? Opposition Challenges, PAP Dominance, Regional Relations, Future Without PAP] (video). youtube.com. Keluar Sekejap. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  19. ^ Hussain, Zakir (2 May 2011). "Postgraduate law student is potential WP candidate" (PDF). The Straits Times. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  20. ^ Parliamentary General Election 2011: Aljunied GRC, singapore-elections.com, retrieved 6 April 2012.
  21. ^ MP for Aljunied GRC, Eunos Division Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, aljunied.wp.sg, retrieved 6 April 2012.
  22. ^ Executive Council Archived 28 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine, wp.sg, retrieved 6 April 2012.
  23. ^ "Pritam Singh tipped to be next WP chief". The Straits Times. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  24. ^ "Pritam Singh elected new WP chief, succeeding Low Thia Khiang". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  25. ^ a b Chew Hui Min (11 June 2020). "GE2020: Workers' Party retains Aljunied GRC with wider margin against PAP". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  26. ^ Yeoh, Grace (11 July 2020). "GE2020: Workers' Party retains Hougang SMC with 61.19% of votes". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  27. ^ Toh, Wen Li; Lim, Yan Liang (11 July 2020). "GE2020 official results: WP wins Sengkang GRC with 52.13% of votes, clinching its second GRC". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  28. ^ Chew, Hui Min (10 February 2022). "COP proposes fine of S$35,000 for Raeesah Khan, further investigation into WP leaders Pritam Singh, Faisal Manap". CNA. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  29. ^ Abdullah, Ahmaz Zhaki (29 April 2022). "Committee of Privileges report: Public prosecutor refers case against Pritam Singh, Faisal Manap to police for investigations". CNA. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  30. ^ Tham, Yuen-C; Chua, Nadine (19 March 2024). "WP chief Pritam Singh charged with lying to Parliament over Raeesah Khan's case, pleads not guilty". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  31. ^ "AGC-SPF Joint Statement On Completion Of Investigations Into Conduct Before The Committee Of Privileges". Singapore Police Force. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  32. ^ Chua, Nadine (19 March 2024). "PAP will not seek Pritam Singh's suspension as MP, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper". www.tnp.sg. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  33. ^ Devaraj, Samuel (17 April 2024). "Pritam Singh appoints ex-prosecutor to defend him in court over his alleged lies to Parliament". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  34. ^ Wong, Shiying (31 May 2024). "WP chief Pritam Singh's trial over alleged lies to Parliament set to start on Oct 14". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Live: Pritam Singh found guilty of both charges of lying to parliament". CNA. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  36. ^ "Pritam Singh's verdict on Feb 17: What the trial covered and what's at stake". CNA. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  37. ^ "Pritam Singh fined S$7,000 for each of 2 charges of lying to Parliament; his eligibility for election not affected". The Business Times. 17 February 2025. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  38. ^ "Pritam Singh sentencing: Workers' Party chief can contest in 2025 General Election". CNA. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  39. ^ "Pritam Singh: Singapore opposition leader guilty of lying to parliament". BBC. 17 February 2025. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  40. ^ "GE2025: Faisal Manap's move to Tampines GRC was one he always wanted, says WP chief Pritam Singh". The Straits Times. 23 April 2025. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  41. ^ Lee, Loraine (23 April 2025). "GE2025: WP team in Aljunied GRC to be led again by party chief Pritam Singh". CNA. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  42. ^ "WP wins Aljunied GRC with 59.68% of votes over PAP". AsiaOne. 4 May 2025. Archived from the original on 4 May 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  43. ^ "PM Lee Hsien Loong on GE2020 results: 'We have a clear mandate'". YouTube. 10 July 2020. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  44. ^ "WP's Pritam Singh clarifies he will donate half his salary increase as Opposition Leader, not half his entire salary". The Straits Times. 1 August 2020. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  45. ^ Ho, Grace (12 October 2020). "WP chief Pritam Singh calls for universal minimum wage with $1,300 base". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  46. ^ Tang, Louisa (27 February 2023). "Pritam Singh advocates for English test in Singapore citizenship, PR applications". CNA. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  47. ^ Goh Yan Han (26 June 2025). "WP wants to be 'insurance' for S'pore should PAP suffer 'major malfunction': Pritam in Malaysian podcast". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  48. ^ "Want new citizens who know Singapore; not here for powerful passport: Opposition leader Pritam Singh". The Economic Times. 28 February 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  49. ^ Kor, Kian Beng (26 April 2011). "Chen: I never stopped being a Singaporean" (PDF). The Straits Times. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  50. ^ "WP's Pritam Singh ties the knot in colourful ceremony". Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  51. ^ Sim, Royston (17 August 2018). "WP chief Pritam Singh now father of 2; baby girl delivered by emergency caesarian". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
[edit]
Parliament of Singapore
New office Leader of the Opposition
2020–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Unofficial Leader of the Opposition
2018–2020 		Position abolished
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Aljunied GRC
2011–present
Served alongside:
(2011 - 2015): Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Chen Show Mao
(2015 - 2020): Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Chen Show Mao
(2020 - 2025): Gerald Giam, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Leon Perera
(2025 - present): Gerald Giam, Sylvia Lim, Kenneth Tiong, Fadli Fawzi 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Secretary-General of the Workers' Party
2018–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pritam_Singh&oldid=1297510122"