“I’ve Been Fired, Not Unemployed!”
Former Workers’ Party MP Yaw Shin Leong isn’t taking the party’s version of his exit lying down. Last Monday, he stormed onto Facebook—under the alias Amos Rao—to set the record straight. Spoiler: he says Pritam Singh’s “sacked me” tale is about as true as a rain‑cloud in a desert.
What Pritam Says …
Pritam, the party’s chief, recapped the 2012 drama at a press briefing triggered by Raeesah Khan’s resignation. He told reporters that Yaw “didn’t pay attention to the party after the allegations hit,” “didn’t speak to the media, nor the staff.” “The party gave him a chance to regroup,” he added. “Instead, it turned into a never‑ending saga, so we finally had to fire him.”
Yaw’s Counter‑Story
Yaw’s rebuttal came within minutes:
- Before the gossip even surfaced, he had a “candid” chat with Workers’ Party secretary‑general Low Thia Khiang.
- When the rumors finally dozed in, he “immediately accounted” to both Low and chairman Sylvia Lim.
- He was advised to hunker down and keep his mouth shut.
On a tone that’s too casual for a parliamentary drama, Yaw’s post salted the wine with humor: “Party first before self—quietly filing the resignation from the CEC to stop the rumours from blowing my name off the map.”
The Busy Life of Amos Rao
Pritam’s account had Him in a private education college in Myanmar while wearing the Amos Rao pseudonym in 2017. But Yaw revealed he used the handle, “because it was easier to keep the party at arm’s length.”
2022 The Expulsion Memo
Back in 2012 Feb 14, Yaw was officially ousted for “breaking the faith, trust & expectations.” He vacated his Hougang MP seat and allegedly, as per Pritam, was the “biggest tear‑jerker” in the party. Yaw, however, insists his narrative is solid: “I’m fine with the narrative, but Pritam says I didn’t account—yet I did.”
Committee Drama and Party Paradox
Just a day before, Raeesah Khan had heard back from the Committee of Privileges, claiming WP leaders told her to keep lying in Parliament (August 3). The committee is currently digging into the complaint against Khan for saying “false things” in Parliament.
But Yaw’s post? It’s titled “The party will respond to the Committee of Privileges’ report at an appropriate forum and juncture,” meaning the Workers’ Party is still figuring out its version of the story.
Bottom Line
Yaw’s Facebook post does a classic job of flipping the script: he says the 2012 expulsion was true but misunderstood. Whether the party’s leadership can keep up the narrative or Yaw can walk out of the brouhaha—time will tell. For now, we only know: “Bureaucratic drama is never boring.”
