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In a major 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 ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges related to his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the judge declared that the evidence presented upheld Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

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

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, 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 seen police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed her account was fabricated, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware it was a lie.

Khan has since resigned from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

Singh, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a delicate issue.

The Appeal Arguments

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the reliability of Khan and her assistants, who served as witnesses.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan confess in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to attend to.

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

Broader Context

Singh's case is notable as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to pursue its political opponents—allegations that the government have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's current parliament, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.