The Parliament’s Committee of Privileges has concluded that Workers’ Party (WP) leaders Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, and Faisal Manap were not truthful in their involvement regarding the misconduct of former MP Raeesah Khan. Khan was found guilty of abusing parliamentary privileges when she lied in the House on August 3 and repeated the lie on October 4. However, the committee reported that the WP leaders, especially Singh, guided her actions after August 8.

The report, released on February 10, highlights that Singh, as the Leader of the Opposition, holds the most responsibility. In an unprecedented step, the committee has recommended that the Attorney-General consider criminal charges against both Singh and Faisal.

Key findings from the report reveal that after Khan confessed to the three leaders, they advised her to maintain the falsehood. Singh, described as the mastermind, encouraged Khan to perpetuate the lie during the October 4 session. Despite knowing the truth, the leaders failed to act until the police announced an investigation into Khan’s claims, leading to her public admission in Parliament on November 1 and her resignation as MP on November 30.

The committee also criticized Singh’s ambiguous remarks, such as “I will not judge you” and “it’s your call,” which Khan interpreted as permission to either reveal the truth or continue the lie. Furthermore, the WP’s internal disciplinary panel, composed solely of Singh, Lim, and Faisal, was deemed inappropriate due to their prior knowledge of the situation.

Khan has been fined $25,000 for the initial lie and $10,000 for its repetition, although the committee considered the mental health toll and public scrutiny she faced during the hearings.