Singapore opposition leaders liable for damages in US$24 million civil suit

Judge rules that Pritam Singh breached ‘duties of skill and care’, while Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim breached ‘fiduciary duties’

Decision could potentially bankrupt the party heavyweights and disqualify them from holding elected office

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Singapore’s Supreme Court, which consists of the High Court and Court of Appeal. Photo: Roy Issa

Published: 3:29pm, 11 Oct 2019Updated: 10:39pm, 11 Oct 2019

Singapore’s High Court on Friday ruled the top three leaders of the country’s sole parliamentary opposition party, the Workers’ Party (WP), are liable for damages in a civil lawsuit over the mismanagement of S$33.7 million (US$24 million) of municipal funds.

Judge Kannan Ramesh will now deliberate on the amount of damages MPs Pritam Singh, Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim are liable for – a decision that could potentially bankrupt the party heavyweights and disqualify them from holding elected office.

The dates of the second stage of the trial have not been made public.

Singapore Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh. Photo: Facebook

Political observers believe Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong could call a snap poll in months, even though his government’s current term lasts until April 2021.

The three MPs are among six elected opposition MPs in a 100-seat legislature in which the prime minister’s long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has held a supermajority for decades.

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