Two WP cadres who testified in Raeesah Khan probe resign from party

SINGAPORE: Two Workers' Party (WP) members who testified in the Committee of Privileges probe into the conduct of former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan have resigned from the party.

Ms Loh Peiying and Mr Yudhishthra Nathan tendered their resignations to WP secretary-general Pritam Singh on Wednesday (Nov 9), according to Facebook posts published on their personal pages.

Ms Loh was the former secretarial assistant to Ms Khan, and secretarial assistant to WP chief Pritam Singh from March 2013 to January 2016. Mr Nathan was a party volunteer.

"Since December 2021, we have removed ourselves from volunteer work towards the Workers' Party's wards and efforts. We have remained members in name, and have not been actively contributing," wrote Ms Loh and Mr Nathan.

"For this reason, we've decided to resign. These past 11 months haven't been easy for us, and we feel it's come to a point where it's time for us to move on from being members of the Workers' Party.

"We want to return to being regular citizens, free to express ourselves as individuals, without others questioning our loyalties and allegiances."

The Committee of Privileges was formed to look into Ms Khan's conduct in relation to a lie about a sexual assault case that she told in Parliament in August 2021.

Ms Khan resigned from the WP and as an MP for Sengkang Group Representation Constituency in November 2021, after her admission of the lie in the House earlier that month.

The Committee of Privileges released its full findings in February, recommending that Ms Khan be fined S$35,000 for lying in Parliament multiple times and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

The committee also said it was "satisfied" that WP leaders were untruthful when testifying under oath, which "may amount to perjury". Mr Singh and WP vice-chair Faisal Manap have been referred to the police for further investigations.

In her evidence, Ms Loh had said she was "disappointed" that Mr Singh left the choice to Ms Khan as to whether she should tell the truth if she was asked about the sexual assault anecdote in Parliament on Oct 4.

On Wednesday, Ms Loh and Mr Nathan wrote: "We've both been with the party for nine years or more, and have been cadres since 2016. In these years, we've loved the party dearly, and contributed actively in many teams and departments, both grassroots and strategic.

"We hold our memories of our time in the Workers' Party with fondness. We've made lifelong friends in each other, and with others along the way.

"There are many good people in the rank and file of the Workers' Party who've dedicated their lives towards building a better Singapore. We hope they remember to keep the welfare of Singaporeans at the centre of all that they do."

The Workers' Party declined to comment when contacted by CNA.