The Committee of Privileges hearing on 9 December 2021 involved Mr. Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap, a Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC. The hearing focused on his role and actions during the Raeesah Khan saga, in which Ms. Khan admitted to lying in Parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to a police station.
Key points discussed in the hearing included:
- Faisal’s Knowledge of the Lie: Faisal was aware of Raeesah Khan’s false statement as early as August 2021, after she first revealed it during a WP internal meeting with party leaders, including Pritam Singh and Sylvia Lim.
- Non-Disclosure: Faisal, along with the other WP leaders, did not take immediate steps to rectify the lie in Parliament, which led to questions about their accountability and leadership.
- Emotional Toll: Faisal cited emotional difficulties, including being personally distressed by Raeesah Khan’s revelation, which influenced his judgment on the matter.
- Handling of the Issue: The committee questioned Faisal on why he and the WP leaders allowed the lie to persist for several months without informing Parliament or correcting the record.
Faisal’s testimony raised concerns about his role in withholding information and whether WP leaders had breached parliamentary privilege by failing to act. The Committee was investigating the conduct of WP members, particularly regarding how the Raeesah Khan incident was handled.
Part A
Part B
