Singapore’s Pritam Singh trial: questioning of opposition leader sparks courtroom drama
At one point, Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh was asked by Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock whether he was ‘an honest person’
Singh, 48, is embroiled in controversy stemming from former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan’s lies to parliament in August and October that year about accompanying a rape victim to a police station. Khan later revealed in parliament that she had been a victim of sexual assault.
He faces two charges for giving false evidence under oath during parliamentary committee hearings held in December that year.
The courtroom drama unfolded on Wednesday with Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock beginning his cross-examination of Singh by asking: “Would you hold yourself out as an honest person?” and “You would not deliberately lie”. Singh responded in the affirmative to both questions.
Throughout the questioning, the pair interrupted each other and Singh had to ask for questions to be repeated, prompting Ang to say at one point: “If you listen to my question, I won’t have to repeat it.”
Singh’s lawyer Andre Jumabhoy rose in defence of his client after Ang cut Singh off midway through an explanation, saying: “[Singh] is entitled to finish his answer and not be cut off. That is a courtesy that is expected.”
