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In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a parliamentary committee.

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

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

Reaction from the Accused

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

He promptly paid his fines at the court complex following the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to reporters.

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and stated his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

Background of the Case

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

She later admitted her anecdote was untrue, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware it was a lie.

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

Court's Rationale

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

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

The Appeal Arguments

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

The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony.

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 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 come clean.

Wider Implications

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

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

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