Workers' Party (WP) chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh was cross-examined in rapid-fire style for almost five hours on Nov 6, as the prosecution sought to show that he had not been entirely honest in his testimony to the court, based on the contradictions in Singh's testimony on multiple areas.
The exchange turned particularly heated when Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock accused Singh of changing his evidence as he tried to pin down when the WP chief no longer deemed it a prerequisite for former WP MP Raeesah Khan to speak to her parents before coming clean in Parliament.
Ms Khan, on Aug 3, 2021, told Parliament how she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station, where the victim was purportedly treated insensitively. She repeated the claim before the House on Oct 4 that same year, before admitting to her lie on Nov 1, 2021.
Singh is contesting two charges over his alleged lies to the parliamentary committee convened in November 2021 to look into the lying controversy involving Ms Khan.
He earlier told the court that he did not come up with an explicit plan on how to resolve Ms Khan's lie at a meeting with her, WP chairman Sylvia Lim and vice-chairman Faisal Manap on Aug 8, 2021, due to the gravity of Ms Khan's revelation to them that she was a victim of sexual assault.
His position then was that this was a matter Ms Khan would have to "settle herself", including having to speak to her parents, before she could be able to make a clarification in Parliament, he testified.
Mr Ang focused his questioning on when Singh's stance changed as he had testified that he had not asked Ms Khan if she had cleared the matter with her parents when they met on Oct 3, 2021.
Yet, Singh said he made clear to Ms Khan that she had to take ownership and responsibility over her lie, and tell the truth when Parliament sat the next day.
Esta historia es de la edición November 07, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 07, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
British novelist David Lodge was twice shortlisted for Booker Prize
British novelist David Lodge, who was shortlisted for the Booker Prize twice, has died at the age of 89, his publisher said on Jan 3.
A CITY FOR BABIES
After a successful experiment, The City of Babies Lab has opened a new permanent space dedicated to children aged from birth to 23 months.
Scientist Names 16 New Spider Species After Jay Chou's Songs
A Chinese scientist has named 16 new spider species after songs by popular Mandopop musician Jay Chou.
Actress JJ Jia Xiaochen upset with hubby for not remembering wedding anniversary
Chinese actress JJ Jia Xiaochen has grumbled about her husband, Hong Kong action star Louis Fan, on social media again.
Actress Chen Liping leaves Mediacorp after 40 years
Actress Chen Liping, a household name in the local entertainment industry, has left broadcaster Mediacorp after 40 years.
Raising four cats costly, but gives Rui En four times the joy
In this new series, The Straits Times speaks to pet-owning personalities about the trials and delights of raising their fur kids
Vet Talk Check that your pet is eating safely during the festive season
Pet ownership is on the rise in Singapore, with many families treating their furry companions as one of their own.
Learning to embrace change positively
On the last evening of our recent family holiday, my three children were having a boisterous conversation in the bedroom of the apartment we were staying in.
STRONGER, TOGETHER
Good parent-teacher relationships can boost a child's confidence and holistic development
Roaring Off To A-League Adventure
Tan makes Brisbane debut as sub in loss to Canberra on her return from knee surgery
