WP's swift refusal of LO role signals unity behind Pritam Singh, say analysts

The Workers' Party declining Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's invitation to nominate another MP as Leader of the Opposition shows it has closed ranks around its chief Pritam Singh, said analysts.

- Ng Wei Kai Correspondent

Declining Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's offer is WP's comment about the viability of the role of Leader of the Opposition in its current form, and a critique on his decision to remove Mr Pritam Singh from it, analysts said.

(ST FILE PHOTO)

The speed of the decision - coming less than a week after PM Wong removed Mr Singh from the post on Jan 15 - also reflects party unity and that it is "clear-cut" to the WP that the costs of taking the role outweigh the benefits, they said.

The opposition party had on Jan 21 said it is "unable to accept" PM Wong's invitation, and it takes the view that the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament is the leader of the Opposition.

The Prime Minister's Office said in response that the Government accepts the WP's decision and that the office will remain vacant until the party chooses to nominate someone.

Independent political observer Felix Tan said the WP's decision was "hardly surprising" as it reinforces the party's MPs' ongoing support for Mr Singh.

On Jan 14, all 11 WP MPs present dissented on a motion in Parliament that stated Mr Singh was unsuitable for the role. The House eventually voted to agree that he was unsuitable.

Nominating another MP as LO while keeping Mr Singh as party chief could also create factions within the party, said Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore.

Agreeing, Dr Tan said the decision avoids turning the LO role into a source of internal rivalry.