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In a notable court decision, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses related to his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the ruling but accepted it "fully and without reservation".

He settled his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and stated his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

The Underlying Saga

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a survivor.

She later admitted her anecdote was untrue, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" despite knowing it was a lie.

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

Court's Rationale

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

Singh, who protested his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to handle what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the appeal hearing, Singh's legal counsel contended 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 asked why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan confess in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

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

Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to pursue its political opponents—allegations that authorities have consistently denied.

The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.