Parliament: Pritam vouches for fellow MPs, questions timing of motion

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh has backed his fellow Aljunied GRC MPs Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang, saying he has absolute trust and confidence in their continued participation in the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC).

He also questioned the motive of the People's Action Party as Parliament debated a motion by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat that called for Ms Lim and Mr Low to be recused from financial matters at the town council.

The motion comes three weeks after the High Court found the duo had acted dishonestly in hiring a managing agent. Describing it as hurried and premature, he said the window for appeal remains open until Nov 11.

"The timing of this motion by DPM Heng is highly unusual for a legal system that places an exacting premium on the rule of law as a defining characteristic of the country," he added.

"The PAP must explain truthfully what is its motive in hurriedly filing this motion before the case is concluded."

Mr Singh was among the last of the 13 MPs who spoke in the four-hour-long debate yesterday.

He told the House that AHTC's auditors had submitted an unqualified financial statement this year and that it had been sent to the Ministry of National Development, which oversees town councils.

It is a first for the town council since the WP took over in 2011, and Mr Singh credited Ms Lim's role in making it happen. Extolling her contributions as its chairman from 2011 to 2015, he said she had ensured there was no major disruption of service to residents despite the challenging circumstances.

His remark that she continues to chair its finance and investment committee drew raised eyebrows from across the aisle. He retorted: "All of you know that, let's not fake ignorance and say 'wow'."

Mr Low, meanwhile, is on its estate and community liaison committee, and his experience and perspective on estate matters as a veteran opposition town councillor has been very useful, he said.

Therefore, even if the issue of recusal came to a vote at the town council, he would not vote to support it, he added, stressing he was speaking personally for himself.

Mr Singh added: "Any decision to consider a recusal for Ms Lim and Mr Low is for the individual town councillors to make and AHTC will act in accordance with their decisions."

He also said there was a "real prospect" the parties that brought the lawsuit - AHTC, through the independent panel it appointed, and Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council - could appeal the judgment. "This is because the plaintiffs did not succeed in many courses of actions, some of which were either rejected or dismissed by the judge," he said.

There was also no reason for Parliament to be "prematurely hijacked as a substitute for the judicial process when the window for appeal... has not closed", he added.