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In a notable court decision, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of lying to a parliamentary committee.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge declared that the evidence presented justified Singh's guilty verdict.

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision but accepted it "fully and without reservation".

He promptly paid his fines at the court complex following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he remarked to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his party members.

Background of the Case

The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed her anecdote was untrue, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, including Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" despite knowing it was a lie.

Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was fined S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood.

Singh, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer argued that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other pressing commitments to manage.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, proved he never wanted Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its political opponents—allegations that authorities have consistently denied.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.