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In a major court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses related to his management 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 presiding judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's guilty verdict.

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and stated his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

The Underlying Saga

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

She later confessed her account was untrue, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" despite knowing it was a lie.

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

Court's Rationale

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

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

The Appeal Arguments

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan confess in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other pressing commitments to attend to.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's inaction, alongside other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

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

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its rivals—allegations that the government have always rejected.

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