Workers' Party retains Pritam Singh as secretary-general after special cadre conference vote

The Workers' Party (WP) retained Pritam Singh as secretary-general after cadre members voted in a secret ballot to keep him in the role, before proceeding to elect a new leadership at its Ordinary Cadre Members' Conference on 28 June 2026.

The day's proceedings began with a Special Cadre Members' Conference (Special CMC). convened following a requisition by 25 cadre members. The special conference was chaired by Gerald Giam.

Singh provided cadre members with a full account of the High Court judgment dated 4 December 2025. Cadre members were given the opportunity to raise questions and share their views, all of which Singh responded to, before a secret vote was taken on whether he should continue as secretary-general or step down.

Cadre members voted to retain Singh. According to the party, the decision reflects the considered judgment of the cadres and the party's commitment to democratic principles and due process.

Speaking at a media doorstop following the conference, Giam said the outcome was a clear indicator of where the party stands and of the support Singh commands among cadres. He described the atmosphere at the special conference as one of robust but civil discussion, in which cadre members raised their concerns freely and Singh addressed every question put to him.

The special conference lasted approximately three hours and involved a single round of voting.

Giam said the process also reflected the party's commitment to democratic engagement — both in how cadre members engaged with Singh and in how Singh engaged with those who had questioned him. Louis Chua delivered the announcement in Mandarin.

Following the conclusion of the Special CMC, the Ordinary Cadre Members' Conference was held. Cadre members re-elected Singh, 50, as secretary-general and Sylvia Lim, 61, as party chair.

The following 12 members were elected to the Central Executive Committee (CEC):

• Abdul Muhaimin bin Abdul Malik (穆海民), 37
• Chua Kheng Wee Louis (蔡庆威), 39
• Dennis Tan Lip Fong (陈立峰), 56
• Eileen Chong Pei Shan (蒋佩姗), 34
• Gerald Giam (严燕松), 49
• Harpreet Singh (贺沛星), 60 
• He Ting Ru (何廷儒), 43
• Jamus Lim (林志蔚), 50
• Kenneth Tiong (张文杰), 37
• Low Thia Khiang (刘程强), 70
• Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap (莫哈默费沙), 51
• Tan Kong Soon (陈广顺), 49

Four new faces join the committee: Abdul Muhaimin bin Abdul Malik, Eileen Chong Pei Shan, Harpreet Singh, and Kenneth Tiong. Muhaimin is the Member of Parliament for Sengkang; Chong is a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament who contested Tampines GRC; Harpreet Singh contested Punggol GRC; and Tiong contested Aljunied GRC.

The new CEC, spanning members aged 34 to 70, has taken office with immediate effect. Specific appointment-holders within the committee are to be announced in due course.

In a statement, Singh said the party's focus remained on issues directly affecting Singaporeans' daily lives. "In a time of increasing global uncertainty, we remain more committed than ever to a vision of Singapore that is truly future-ready — a future that works for everybody," he said.

Following the conference, the party held a media doorstop at which Giam read a statement on the proceedings. He described the atmosphere at the special conference as one of robust but civil discussion, in which cadre members raised their concerns freely and Singh addressed every question put to him.

He said the result was a clear indicator of where the party stood and of the support Singh commands among the cadres. Louis Chua delivered the statement in Mandarin.

Singh and Lim subsequently spoke to the media. Singh said there was a good showing of individuals willing to stand for the CEC, and that he was pleased with the outcome. He noted there had been no challenger for the secretary-general position, adding: "If there is no challenger, what are you voting for?"

On the Special CMC, Singh said he preferred to frame the process differently. The cadres had called for the meeting in accordance with the party constitution. "We respect that process," he said. The petitioners had asked for a vote, the chair agreed, and a vote was held. Singh said the meeting was not as dramatic as the media might make it out to be, noting that requests from the petitioners were among the matters dealt with during the conference.

Singh declined to give the exact vote count, noting that Giam had already characterised the result as a supermajority — which, under parliamentary terms, means more than two-thirds of votes cast.

When asked about the position of Leader of the Opposition — vacant since Prime Minister Lawrence Wong removed Singh from the role — Singh said the decision lay with the prime minister, not the party, and that he believed the prime minister had already made his decision. The WP had previously indicated it would not put forward another name for the position.

On continued characterisations of him as a convicted liar by the government and sections of the media, Singh directed reporters to his personal website, pritamsingh.sg, where he has published the statements he made in Parliament and the submissions to the court. He said his position had not changed from what was set out there.

Singh said nothing had changed for the party following the internal election. The party's objective remained to give Singaporeans a serious choice and to provide critical political balance in a responsible manner. "Singapore is much stronger with a good opposition party," he said.

The party said it is united behind its leadership and remains focused on its work in Parliament and on the ground, towards building what it described as a more balanced political system for Singapore.