Member-only story
The release of a Special Report, by the People’s Action Party-led Committee of Privileges, is a departure from the PAP’s usual modus operandi.
The Special Report, released on the heels of the Workers’ Party’s press conference (presumably to shape the narrative over Raeesah Khan’s lies in Parliament), created shockwaves as it alleges that WP’s senior leaders were complicit in Khan’s lies.
Released videos and transcripts of testimony by Khan and two other witnesses revealed that Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim and Faisal Mana, not only suborned perjury by asking Khan to stick to her story, but (1) backtracked on a promise not to discipline Khan if she did what she was told to do; and (2) attempted a cover-up by convening a sham disciplinary committee comprising those who suborned her perjury.
The timely release of the Special Report enabled the PAP to seize the information narrative away from the WP. While fully allowed under the rules of Parliament, this is a political act that the PAP was hitherto unwilling to play when dealing with the opposition. Perhaps, the PAP has learned their lesson that fighting fair against an opponent that doesn’t, only puts them at a disadvantage in the age of social media.
From the communications perspective, misinformation that is left unchallenged and…
