WP 'unable to accept' PM Wong's invitation to nominate next Leader of the Opposition.

[metanoia]

WP 'unable to accept' PM Wong's invitation to nominate next Leader of the Opposition​

The Workers' Party says the position should be held by the leader of the largest opposition party in parliament.

The Workers' Party sign at its headquarters. (File photo: Facebook/The Workers' Party)

21 Jan 2026 04:09PM (Updated: 21 Jan 2026 06:25PM)

SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party on Wednesday (Jan 21) said that it was “unable to accept” Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s invitation to nominate the next Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Wong removed WP chief Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition on Jan 15 - a day after parliament voted that he was unsuitable to continue in the role following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.

The prime minister also said that he had invited the WP to nominate another elected Member of Parliament to serve as the next Leader of the Opposition.

The WP said in a statement on Wednesday that it had responded to Mr Wong and that it would not be nominating another party MP to the post.

"We are unable to accept your invitation to nominate another Workers' Party Member of Parliament to the Leader of the Opposition post, as the Workers' Party has our own established processes for electing our leadership," said the central executive committee in its letter to Mr Wong.

It said the position of Leader of the Opposition in Singapore is a discretionary appointment that the prime minister makes.

"Despite not having any constitutional or statutory eligibility criteria, we hold the view that the only tenable candidate for the Leader of the Opposition position would be a Member of Parliament who is the leader of the largest opposition party in parliament, the Workers' Party."

In its media statement, posted on the party website and social media pages, the WP said the appointment is conventionally extended to the leader of the largest opposition party in parliament, or decided by the opposition party in question.

"The establishment of the office of the Leader of the Opposition was a step forward in our political development. The recognition of a Leader of the Opposition in parliament was introduced by the PAP government in 2020, ostensibly as a result of a recognition of the strong desire among Singaporeans for a greater diversity of views in politics," it said.

"To this end, it is important to reiterate that the LO appointment in parliament arose out of the political success of the opposition at the ballot box.

“It is the people’s vote that explains the presence of opposition MPs in Parliament. In other Westminster systems, the title of the Leader of the Opposition is established by law and is not the prerogative or choice of the government of the day or the prime minister. This approach expresses the authority and sanctity of the people’s vote," it added.

The Workers’ Party said it is of the view that the leader of the largest opposition party in parliament is the leader of the opposition.

"As such, the Workers’ Party has conveyed to the prime minister that we will not be nominating another Workers’ Party Member of Parliament to the LO post," the party said.

"We continue to focus on our primary duty, to work for Singaporeans and provide a rational, responsible, and respectable check on the government.”

 

[metanoia]

Yeah! Good job WP!

FUCK PAP

 

[metanoia]

 

[ftan42]

The WP should have declined the initial appointment as Leader of the Opposition in the House, but it is still not too late to reject the second round.

 

[metanoia]

The WP should have declined the initial appointment as Leader of the Opposition in the House, but it is still not too late to reject the second round.

Yep. Agree. Rubbish PAP bullying tactics. Why didn't they censure LHL for keeping quiet about TCJ and CLH affair for 3 years?

 

[metanoia]

 

[UltimaOnline]

Lawrence Wong is disappointed WP is not up to the task of appointing a new Leader of Opposition, says WP has let Singapore down​

[–]siao-liao

PM Lawrence Wong : I am deeply disappointed that WP has declined my generous offer of goodwill to appoint a new Leader of Opposition and instead choose to engage in petty politics while showing misguided support for their criminally convicted leader. It is a slap in the face of Singaporeans who voted for them and I hope this is remembered by all Singaporeans at the next GE.”

 

[metanoia]

Lawrence Wong is disappointed WP is not up to the task of appointing a new Leader of Opposition, says WP has let Singapore down​

[–]siao-liao

PM Lawrence Wong : I am deeply disappointed that WP has declined my generous offer of goodwill to appoint a new Leader of Opposition and instead choose to engage in petty politics while showing misguided support for their criminally convicted leader. It is a slap in the face of Singaporeans who voted for them and I hope this is remembered by all Singaporeans at the next GE.”

Tell him to censure his predecessor first then talk. Dont double standards.

 

[glockman]

Lawrence Wong is disappointed WP is not up to the task of appointing a new Leader of Opposition, says WP has let Singapore down​

[–]siao-liao

PM Lawrence Wong : I am deeply disappointed that WP has declined my generous offer of goodwill to appoint a new Leader of Opposition and instead choose to engage in petty politics while showing misguided support for their criminally convicted leader. It is a slap in the face of Singaporeans who voted for them and I hope this is remembered by all Singaporeans at the next GE.”

Who is the one being petty? Getting butt hurt and whining over a rejection. I thought he was a bigger man than that.

 

[Rogue Trader]

Just looking like wp can't find another Indian In their woke party

 

[batman1]

Tell him to censure his predecessor first then talk. Dont double standards.

Disappointed jikikan. 555

 

[nabeifuckpap]

 

[Dreamliner787]

What is stopping WP from tabling a motion to remove LHL from SM post?

 

[shock888]

The WP should have declined the initial appointment as Leader of the Opposition in the House, but it is still not too late to reject the second round.

WP and most Singaporeans thought PAP accepted the reality of 2 party system when SengKang was lost to WP. Now all were reminded PAP will never change.

 

[mojito]

Pm Wong gave them an excellent chance to remove the singh they wasted lah. All humji one hehe...

 

[mojito]

WP and most Singaporeans thought PAP accepted the reality of 2 party system when SengKang was lost to WP. Now all were reminded PAP will never change.

Only u oppies can have party leaders for 30+ years lah. Buay paiseh meh u all can still say Pap no democracy.

 

[Dreamliner787]

Pritam, don't say I never say. You can teach tuanee a lesson, very simple.

WP could always table a Bill in Parliament to formally recognise the role of the Leader of the Opposition, stipulating that after each General Election, the opposition party with the most seats shall appoint its party leader to the post.


The Bill would, of course, be “debated” in the usual way—after which every PAP MP would dutifully crawl out of their shells to vote it down, neatly exposing the hypocrisy behind PAP’s supposed generosity in “offering” WP the Leader of the Opposition role.​

 

[uniboi]

Who is the one being petty? Getting butt hurt and whining over a rejection. I thought he was a bigger man than that.

Is he the one who told China and Japan to forgive and forget and move on about the WW2 stuff and the Chinese and Asean ppl got angered by his remarks?

Even his predecessors and other bigger weight world leaders don’t touch this topic and leave it to China and Japan to resolve

 

[metanoia]

Is he the one who told China and Japan to forgive and forget and move on about the WW2 stuff and the Chinese and Asean ppl got angered by his remarks?

Even his predecessors and other bigger weight world leaders don’t touch this topic and leave it to China and Japan to resolve

This Laulan is not PM material.

 

[ftan42]

Wong's generalization faced online criticism, especially concerning whether individuals, especially including Malaysians, have genuinely forgiven Japan for its wartime crime as the issue of forgiveness is complex and not universally shared