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Official photo of Pritam Singh, poto by The Workers’ Party of Singapore.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Pritam Singh

Pritam Singh born on the 2^nd of August 1976 is a Singaporean politician, lawyer, and author who has been serving as Leader of the Opposition since 2020 and Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party since 2018. Singh has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Eunos division of Aljunied GRC since 2011.

Since the 2011 general election, Singh has represented the Eunos ward within the constituency in Parliament. He was also appointed as the assistant secretary general on the party’s executive council. Here are some interesting facts about him.

1. Pritam wins the straits Steamship prize

Pritam Singh won the 1999 straits steamship awards after his completion of the undergraduate in history and political science. His win can be attributed to his hard work and becoming top in the course that year. He was later awarded the Chevening Scholarship for postgraduate studies at King’s College London which he took advantage of and completed his masters with. 

His hard work from the start had paid off as it was evident it had been the reason he was offered the award and the scholarship to begin with.  His hard work had finally paid off. 

2.Pritam Singh being elected into a parliamentary seat

In the year 2011, Singh was elected to parliament while in his Worker`s political party. He retained the seat during the subsequent election process in parliament. He was elected as the secretary of the Workers Party back in 2018 to succeed Low Thia Khiang`s leadership in the party.

During the recent 2020 general elections his party, the Workers Party was regarded as the largest opposition party in parliament at the time. He was later appointer the leader of opposition by the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. This was attributed to the leadership he portrayed in the party. 

3.Pritam Singh as an opposition leader

Workers’ Party of Singapore rally  for the Singaporean general election, photo by Abdul Rahman. Wikimedia commons

Pritam`s political life began way back when he joined the Worker`s Party and ran for the parliamentary seat. His success in that election was because of his choice to stand with the political party. During subsequent years he rose in the ranks of the political party and eventually held the secretary post of the party.

His success led him to be appointed as the opposition leader by the prime minister at that time. His political party had now gained momentum and was regarded as the largest opposition political party at that time.

4. Singh founded the opinion Asia

Singh with an elderly constituent, photo by The Workers’ Party of Singapor.

After Pritam Singh had completed his education, he founded an online platform known as the Opinion Asia.  The platform was aimed at focusing on issues related to Asians and Asia. The platform was aimed at receiving views that were specific to Asians.  

5.Singh`s education

Campus of King’s College London, photo by Ad Meskens.

Singh first attended the Woodsvile School for his primary education and later proceeded to St. Thomas Secondary school and   Jurong Junior College he later graduated at the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2000 under the Singapore Armed Forces’s Local Study Award .

He proceeded to take his masters in Arts degree in War studies in the King’s College London. He acquired interest in Islamic studies and therefore took up the course in the International Islamic University Malaysia. He later obtained a jurist Doctor degree from the Singapore Management University.

6.Singh`s Military career

Crest of the Singapore Armed Forces/ Army, photo by SAF.

Pritam Singh was enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces in 1994 and he served the forces between the years 1996 to the year 2002. Throughout his entire service in the forces, it can be said that he served well and diligently. 

He was appointed as the combat engineer for the forces as a result. He still holds the rank of a reservist commander with the rank of Major. He keeps serving the marines well as he still hold the post he holds.    

7.Singh`s Legal career

Back in the year 2013, Singh joined the litigation and dispute resolution practice at Donaldson & Burkinshaw, which is regarded as the Singapore’s oldest law firms.

8.Pritam’s party marking history

 During the 2011 general election, Singh who was a member of the Workers Party won against the People`s Action Party (PAP). The Workers Party was facing PAP that was led by Foreign Affairs minister George Yeo. The Workers’ Party’s team defeated the PAP team by 72,289 votes (54.7%) to 59,829 (45.2%). This marked the first occasion in Singapore where an opposition party won the election. This still remains in history till today..

Since the election, Singh has represented the Eunos ward within the constituency in Parliament. Singh was appointed as the assistant secretary general on the party’s executive council.

9.Pritams` Leadership of the Workers’ Party

After the resignation of Thia Khiang to pave way for young blood in the leadership of the political party. Singh was regarded to be the next chief of the political party. He was subsequently confirmed to be the political party’s secretary-general at that time.

During the recent 2020 general elections his party, the Workers Party was regarded as the largest opposition party in parliament at the time. He was later appointer the leader of opposition by the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The immense success of the party can be attributed to his hard work and resilience in party activities.

10.The creation of an opposition leader post after the 2020 general elections

After the win in history of the Workers party occupying most of the seats in parliament, the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loon opted to appoint Pritam Singh as an opposition leader of Singapore. Appropriate resources and stuff were put in his disposal for the effective functioning of the office.

 Prior to this there leader of opposition was an unofficial defacto position in parliament as the constitution did not provide for such a post. With the creation of the formal office, Parliament announced that the appointment holder will draw an annual salary of S$385,000, double the salary of a regular Member of Parliament. Singh was charitable enough to donate half of his allowance to his political party.

Indeed the success of the largest political party in Singapore can be attributed to the great work that Pritam Singh has done while in leadership.  The success of the path as opened doors for him in the political sphere, he was even appointed to be the opposition leader in Singapore as a result.