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In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges related to his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

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

Leader's Response

Singh, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling 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 reporters.

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his party members.

Background of the Case

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a survivor.

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

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

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 during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a delicate issue.

The Appeal Arguments

During the appeal hearing, Singh's legal counsel contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her aides, 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 stated that he had other pressing commitments to attend to.

The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's inaction, alongside other evidence, demonstrated 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 sitting opposition lawmaker.

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

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