Pritam Singh, Mediacorp apologise for contempt of court, broadcaster takes down interview

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and Mediacorp have issued separate apologies to the court over comments made by Singh on an episode of CNA's The Assembly which aired on Nov 5.

In a Facebook post on Saturday (Dec 13), Singh, who is also chief of the Workers' Party, said that he accepts his statements may be construed to be in contempt of court.

Apart from his comments during the interview, Singh had also posted about the interview on Facebook on Nov 6 and 8.

"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," said Singh in his post.  

"Given that, I wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court and will avoid making comments to the same or similar effect in future."

In the interview with a group of neurodivergent individuals for The Assembly, Singh had made comments regarding the case relating to former member of parliament Raeesah Khan, where he had been found guilty by the Magistrate's Court in February 2025 of lying on oath to the Committee of Privileges.

According to Mediacorp, the episode was filmed in July, after Singh was found guilty and before his appeal was heard.

The episode aired on Nov 5, a day after Singh's appeal was heard and judgement reserved. 

During the interview, he was asked by a participant how he felt about being called “a liar” due to former WP Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan’s case.

Singh, pointing to his party's performance at the 2025 General Election, had said that he believes "the court of public opinion can be a bigger court than any court in the world".

Singh's statement on the interview drew criticism from Law Minister Edwin Tong who said on Nov 8 that the statement was outrageous, plainly wrong, and completely unacceptable.

Tong pointed out that Singh went through a “full and open” trial and was convicted by the court for lying to a parliamentary Select Committee. 

“The judge gave detailed grounds, setting out the basis for the conviction - almost 150 pages,” Tong said, adding that the rule of law is a cornerstone of Singapore's system.

Speaking to the media on Dec 4 after his appeal was dismissed, Singh, when responding to the question of how he would fare in the court of public opinion, said the court's verdict should be respected, adding that he accepted the judgement "fully and without reservation".

He was also asked about his comment on how political opponents would "do whatever it takes" to lower his and his party's standing.

Singh acknowledged that as a member of the opposition, he will have political differences with his opponents.

"But those differences do not extend to tearing the system down, and questioning or impugning the integrity of the courts or even civil servants, for example. That cannot be how we conduct opposition politics in Singapore."

Mediacorp apologises, takes down episode

In a separate statement on Dec 13, Mediacorp issued an apology after being informed by the Attorney-General's Chambers that it was in contempt of court.

"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 the court. We wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court," said a spokesperson from Mediacorp, the parent company of CNA.

The spokesperson added that the interview has been taken down from Mediacorp's platforms and channels, and that they will avoid publishing materials that are in contempt of court in the future.

MinLaw responds

The Ministry of Law in a Dec 13 statement said Singh's comments made in the interview "are very wrong", adding that they have no place in a system founded on the rule of law.

Noting that Singh has since apologised, the ministry said that it welcomes his apology.

"Following the dismissal of his appeal, Mr Singh has also confirmed that he accepts the court's judgement fully and without reservation.

"He also rightly acknowledged that it is unacceptable for politicians to question or impugn the integrity of the courts. We welcome these comments," a ministry spokesperson said.

The ministry, noting that the judiciary is a key pillar of Singapore's success, added that it is critical that public trust in Singapore's justice system is maintained. 

editor@asiaone.com