Singapore — Amid the conflicting accounts following Raeesah Khan’s lie in Parliament, members from the online community expressed it was responsible behaviour to own one’s mistake instead of blaming others.
“One must be responsible for what he or she says. This is basic responsibility,” noted Facebook user Lew Zhixin. “When you try to play a game of bluff in Parliament, admit it and face the music. She should not pull everyone onto her ship, which is sinking fast.”
It all began on Aug 3 this year during a debate on empowering women when Ms Khan, then the youngest MP in Parliament (Workers’ Party – Sengkang GRC), alleged that the police had mishandled the case of a rape victim whom she claimed to have accompanied to file a police report in 2018.
After further questioning by Law Minister K Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan, Ms Khan revealed on Nov 1 that she had lied to Parliament.
She issued an apology to everyone involved and said she only heard the victim’s story in a support group for sexual abuse survivors. Ms Khan noted she, too, was a victim of sexual assault.
On Friday (Dec 3), a special report from the Parliament’s Committee of Privileges (COP) noted that Ms Khan was advised by senior WP leaders to “continue with the narrative” even after discovering her lie and “directed her not to respond to the police.”
Meanwhile, WP chief Pritam Singh said at a press conference on Thursday that Ms Khan repeated the lie in Parliament in October, two months after she first made the claims, despite being asked to clarify the matter.
Political analysts are now commenting on the matter, noting that it would raise more questions on WP’s credibility.
“This issue clearly shows a party divided, and each new layer that has been unveiled potentially erodes trust that WP built from their members and constituents even further,” said Nydia Ngiow, senior director of public policy consultancy BowerGroupAsia, to Channel News Asia.
“It has the makings of a scandal which hints at lies by the WP leadership. This ‘Liarsgate’ is potentially damaging to all in WP,” added Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU), Eugene Tan.
Mr Tan said WP needs to correct their narrative “urgently and persuasively” or face political consequences “too severe to even contemplate.”
In response to the turn of events, netizens highlighted Ms Khan as the cause of her downfall.
“Last time, she made racist remarks and apologised. People forgave her. She should just own up and face whatever consequences. People will respect her for owning up. People were trying to help her resolve the mess that she had caused. Don’t blame others. Don’t bite the hand that feeds her,” said Facebook user Robert Tan.
One Clarence Paul Lim described Ms Khan’s character to be immature for accusing Mr Singh. “This immature girl got sympathy from Pritam Singh and now turn around to accuse him of wrong advise in order to save herself from more embarrassing moments. Lousy character?”
Meanwhile, others wondered what Ms Khan’s motive behind the whole fiasco was.
“Yes, she started the mess, not others. What is her motive? Why she made up a story like an (immature) school child. Many people (would) like to know why,” highlighted netizen Tan Kwong Moh.
/TISG
Read related: Raeesah Khan started the mess, not Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim or Faisal Manap
Raeesah Khan started the mess, not Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim or Faisal Manap