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SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) on Sunday (Dec 28) said in response to CNA’s queries that its party cadres have requested a special conference to be held and that the party’s top decision-making body - the Central Executive Committee (CEC) - will be “following up on the request”.
WP's statement comes after party secretary-general Pritam Singh's conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee, with the matter set to be discussed in parliament on Jan 12 next year.
CNA understands over 20 cadres have signed a letter calling for the special conference to be held in February, and that Mr Singh's position as the party chief could be among the topics discussed.
In a statement on Facebook, WP said: “The Workers' Party confirms that a request has been made for a Special Cadre Members' Conference, and Party Chair Ms Sylvia Lim has acknowledged the receipt of this request to the Cadre Member.”
As stated in the party’s Constitution, the party’s chair, the CEC or 10 per cent of the cadre membership or at least 20 cadres – whichever is higher – may at any time call a Special Cadre Members' Conference for specific purposes to be indicated.
Hence, the number of signatories in the letter meet the stated threshold in the party’s constitution. It was previously reported that WP has around 100 cadres – party members with voting rights.
“The Workers' Party Central Executive Committee will be following up on the request in accordance with the Party Constitution,” said the party.
Separately, the CEC is set to convene for its own meeting on Jan 2 next year, CNA understands from party insiders.
The CEC typically meets every first Tuesday of the month at the party’s headquarters in Geylang, so this meeting would be an off-cycle one.
The party members and cadres who spoke to CNA declined to be identified as the party’s constitution also forbids them from speaking to the media without authorisation.
PARTY DISCIPLINARY PROCESS
Former cadre members told CNA that such a significant matter would definitely call for the party’s CEC to be convened.
What would likely happen is either party chairman Sylvia Lim — or enough CEC members — could call for an extraordinary meeting to discuss Mr Singh’s case. This was what happened in the case of ex-MP Leon Perera, noted one ex-cadre.
While recent party statements have referred to an internal process having commenced, there are a few forms it could take.
It could be a quick deliberation within the party’s CEC with an up or down vote then taken, as was the case with Mr Leon Perera and Ms Nicole Seah, said the ex-cadre.
Another possibility would be the formation of a disciplinary committee or something equivalent, as was done in the case of Ms Raeesah Khan. This approach takes in feedback from members and allows for a more protracted, careful and considered approach, according to the ex-cadre.
The party’s internal disciplinary procedure was set out by Mr Singh’s predecessor Low Thia Khiang to entrench the notion that the CEC is the highest authority of the party, said the ex-cadre.
