Pritam Singh trial: 10 key quotes from Loh Peiying, Raeesah Khan’s ex-assistant and former WP member

SINGAPORE: Ms Loh Peiying, then secretarial assistant to Ms Raeesah Khan and member of the Workers’ Party (WP) for a decade, took the stand for the prosecution on Thursday (Oct 17) in the trial against WP chief Pritam Singh.

Ms Loh resigned from the party in late 2022, about a year after Ms Khan admitted to lying in parliament about accompanying a rape victim to a police station.

The head and co-founder of the editorial studio Kontinentalist, Ms Loh was active in media operations for WP including during the 2020 General Election, when Ms Khan was elected as member of parliament for Sengkang GRC.

She described her relationship with Singh as “professional”, while Ms Khan called her a “confidante” and friend.

Here are 10 key quotes from Ms Loh on day four of Singh’s trial, in response to questions from the prosecution.

1. On why she and Singh avoided talking about the lie out loud at a meeting on Aug 10, 2021

“This sounds a bit silly but, (there was a prevalent belief) between myself, (WP cadre member Yudhishthra Nathan) and Ms Khan that our phones might be bugged, or listened to in some shape or form, because I think she had received a text from Apple a while ago that state forces were … trying to get into her phone.

“Mr Singh also was generally, I guess, worried about this, so actually when I met him I had to hand over my phone and keep it in the drawer behind him.”

2. On what was discussed at a meeting Ms Loh had with Singh and WP cadre member Yudhishthra Nathan on Oct 12, 2021

“We discussed at first the sort of considerations if (Ms Khan) were to retain the lie or to come clean. We had discussions around … if there would be a by-election following her resignation, what sort of punishment or consequences on her if she were to reveal the truth, which would be to face the COP.

“We also talked obviously about how the party would be perceived to have this … on our record.

“We discussed also … the impossibility of retaining the lie, because there was a surety that Minister Shanmugam would pursue the matter until it was addressed so it could not be kept a secret anymore.”

3. Ms Loh on her concerns about the impact on the Workers’ Party

“I was concerned that people would criticise the party as one that has no integrity, full of liars … it will obviously affect party support and our votes at the next election.”

4. On feeling “assuaged” by what Mr Low Thia Khiang supposedly said

“Mr Singh shared that he had consulted with Mr Low Thia Khiang on the matter and that Mr Low thought the best course of action was to make a clarification in parliament, and that the WP would survive the sort of falling out that would follow.

“Given that Mr Nathan and I had a lot of faith and confidence in Mr Low’s opinion, we were very assuaged that that was his decision and advice.”

5. On whether the sexual assault bit should be included in Ms Khan’s clarification statement 

“We deliberated a little on whether or not we should include the fact that she is also herself a sexual assault victim, which Mr Singh was of the view that a statement could be made without, but I was of the view that that’s no good for the party.”

6. On why the lie had to be clarified at that point, at the meeting on Oct 12, 2021.

“The main reason was that Minister Shanmugam wasn’t going to let it go. That is the main reason.

“There is also a strong second reason, and that is for Ms Khan’s own conscience, and also for the party. There was a sense that there was no way she could continue with this weighing on her mind.”

7. Her views on the disciplinary panel that was set up by WP to look into Ms Khan’s conduct

“I was of the opinion that the disciplinary panel was performatory – meaning it was an action Mr Singh had taken to quell party and public anger on the matter, but it did not have real consequences so to speak.

“They weren’t going to take drastic action on her.”

8. On how she felt Pritam Singh had “underestimated” the consequences of the lie

“Throughout the preparation of (Ms Khan’s) apology and statement, Mr Singh and quiet, relaxed and of the view that this would blow over, so I really felt that he underestimated the consequences. … Now, he decided to, for the sake of … settling furore on the matter, he needed to be seen to be also upset, and disciplining Ms Khan.”

9. On whether Ms Khan could have told the truth in parliament on Oct 4, 2021, without preparation

“No way.

“This lie, honestly, it would have been a shock to everyone if she had just come out to say, ‘yeah, I lied to everyone.’

“It will be very, very foolish to come out and tell everyone without the party, especially the CEC to have some knowledge and preparation beforehand, and for the party to manage in some form of crisis communications, the fallout would be very severe to a very high degree. It was to me, unthinkable.”

10. On how Ms Loh told Pritam Singh he should have stepped up and clarified the truth

“I told Mr Singh he should have stepped up and clarified the truth in parliament in October (2021) if he was of the view that should have been done.

“It’s not just, he’s the Leader of the Opposition, it’s not just Ms Khan’s responsibility, given he had knowledge that a lie had been done, he also had every opportunity to step up and clarify. I told him that.

“He was quite upset at me for saying that and sort of pointed at me with a pen and said ‘I went to her the night before I told her-‘ but I cut him off.”