The Workers' Party (WP) will hold a special cadres conference at noon on June 28 at The Exchange event space in Singapore Land Tower to discuss the future of secretary-general Pritam Singh, whose leadership is facing an internal challenge after his conviction for lying to a Parliamentary Committee of Privileges [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The conference was triggered by a requisition from 25 cadre members, representing about a quarter of the party's roughly 100 cadres who elect its leadership [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. These cadres demand Singh step down immediately for breaching Article 30 of the party constitution, which mandates honesty and frankness from nominees in public office [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Singh was convicted in February 2025 for lying to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges, a ruling upheld by the High Court later that year. The party's internal disciplinary panel found that he contravened Articles 20(1) and 30 of the party constitution in relation to these convictions [2, 3, 4]. Following the panel's findings, WP's Central Executive Committee reprimanded Singh with a formal letter in April 2026 [2, 3, 4].
If Singh refuses to step down at the conference, a secret vote will be conducted among cadres to decide if he should continue leading the party [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Gerald Giam, WP policy research head and Aljunied GRC MP, will chair the meeting [1, 2, 3, 4]. The special conference will be immediately followed by the party's biennial ordinary cadres conference and Central Executive Committee election at 3 p.m. the same day [1, 2, 3, 4].
Singh has served as WP secretary-general since 2018, succeeding Low Thia Khiang. He was re-elected unopposed in 2020, 2022, and 2024 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Eugene Tan, associate professor of law at Singapore Management University, called the conference "the first overt challenge to the Pritam Singh-led WP leadership since Mr Singh succeeded Mr Low Thia Khiang as party chief in 2018" [5].
A small but vocal segment of cadres expressed dissatisfaction with how the party handled the Raeesah Khan saga and related disciplinary matters, fueling the challenge [5]. Dr Teo Kay Key, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, said, "If Mr Singh stays in power with a narrow margin in the cadres’ secret vote, he would have a lot of work to do to regain the trust that has been lost" [5].
The special conference and leadership vote are set to take place on June 28, offering the Workers' Party cadres a definitive opportunity to decide Singh's tenure amid internal party tensions [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
