Pritam Singh issues apology for remarks in CNA interview following contempt finding and takedown

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has issued an unreserved public apology, acknowledging that remarks he made in a televised CNA interview earlier this year could be construed as contempt of court.

The statement was posted on Singh’s Facebook page on Saturday, 13 December, one day after Mediacorp confirmed that it had removed the interview from all CNA platforms following notification from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

The interview was part of The Assembly, a Channel NewsAsia series conducted by a panel of neurodivergent individuals. It aired on 5 November — one day after Singh’s appeal against his February 2025 conviction was heard in the High Court, with judgment then reserved. That appeal was subsequently dismissed on 4 December.

In his Facebook post, the Workers' Party leader wrote:

“In my interview with The Assembly, a Channel NewsAsia production, I replied (‘my statements’) to questions in relation to the case, PP v Pritam Singh, where I had been found guilty by the Magistrate’s Court in February 2025 of falsely testifying to the Committee of Privileges.”

He noted that the interview was recorded on 26 July 2025, and that he had publicly posted about it on 6 and 8 November, after the broadcast but before the court’s final judgment.

Singh added: “I accept that my statements may be construed to be in contempt of court, including to impugn the integrity, propriety or impartiality of the court. Given that, I wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court and will avoid making comments to the same or similar effect in future.”

On 13 December, Mediacorp — the parent company of CNA — confirmed that the AGC had informed it that airing the interview while judgment was pending amounted to contempt of court. Mediacorp accepted the finding and issued an unreserved apology.

“We accept that the publication of the interview, which contained the statements by Mr Singh regarding the case relating to Ms Raeesah Khan, is in contempt of court,” Mediacorp stated.

“We wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court.”

The broadcaster removed the interview from all its platforms and committed to avoiding similar issues in future.

Singh’s remarks and political reaction

In the interview, Singh was asked how he felt about being labelled a liar following his conviction. He replied:

“I believe the court of public opinion can be bigger than any court in the world.”

“Politics is about public standing. My political opponents will do whatever it takes to lower my esteem and the esteem of my party in the public eye.”

The broadcast drew swift criticism from Minister for Law Edwin Tong, who called the comments “outrageous, plainly wrong and completely unacceptable.”

He accused Singh of undermining public confidence in the courts and promoting the idea that popularity could override legal accountability.

However, Singh responded shortly after the programme aired. In a Facebook post dated 8 November, he clarified that his remarks referred to the Workers’ Party’s performance in the May 2024 General Election — which came after his conviction — and not to the legitimacy or independence of the judiciary.

“My remarks were not directed at the judicial system, judges or their independence, nor did it denigrate any of these institutions. My case is currently under appeal with judgment reserved,” he wrote at the time.

Court upholds conviction on appeal

Singh’s February 2025 conviction related to his testimony before Parliament’s Committee of Privileges, which investigated how the Workers’ Party leadership handled former MP Raeesah Khan’s admitted falsehood in Parliament.

In a decision issued on 4 December, Justice Steven Chong upheld the original conviction and sentence — a total fine of S$14,000 for two counts of giving false evidence.

The judge found that Singh failed to take reasonable action over an extended period, despite recognising the seriousness of Khan’s conduct. He also questioned the credibility of Singh’s explanations and noted that the party only began preparing to clarify the matter after Singh met senior party leaders.

The court concluded that the timeline and evidence did not support Singh’s version of events and affirmed the trial judge’s findings in full.

Singh has since paid the fine and indicated that he will continue fulfilling his responsibilities as Leader of the Opposition.