Police say no offence committed by PAP, after reports lodged against party for statement on Raeesah Khan

SINGAPORE — The police have deemed that no offence has been committed by the People’s Action Party (PAP), after police reports were made against the party for its statement in regard to Workers’ Party (WP) candidate Raeesah Khan.

In a statement on Wednesday (July 8), the police confirmed that reports had been lodged against the PAP for its July 6 statement titled “The Workers’ Party’s position on Sengkang Candidate Ms Raeesah Khan”.

“In consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, it was assessed that no offence was disclosed,” said the police.

The PAP had on Monday called on the WP to state its stand on social media posts made by Ms Raeesah, which are the subject of police investigations.

In a statement, the PAP noted that Ms Raeesah, 26, is being investigated for criminal offences, including an offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race.

It also noted that WP chief Pritam Singh had said on July 5 that she would continue with her campaign in Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and that the party would review the matter after the July 10 General Election.

“In fairness to voters, both in Sengkang and elsewhere, the WP should state its stand on Ms Raeesah’s posts, since she has admitted to making highly derogatory statements about Chinese and Christians,” the PAP had said.

It then added: “Why does the WP still consider her worthy of consideration as an MP? This is a serious matter, which goes to the fundamental principles on which our country has been built.”

Following the statement by the PAP, a netizen came forward on Facebook on Monday to say that he had filed a police report against the party.

“The purpose of this report is to hold the PAP accountable for an ‘offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race under Section 298A of the Penal Code’ as well as the spreading of online falsehoods.… I am proud to live in a country where everybody is equal in the eyes of the law, and the ruling party itself is not above the law,” the man had said.

The Facebook post has since been taken down.