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In a major legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

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

During a short hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the judge ruled that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

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

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

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his parliamentary seat and affirmed his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans together with his party members.

The Underlying Saga

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed 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 penalized S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined 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, 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 legal counsel contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.

When asked 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 manage.

The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's inaction, alongside other evidence, proved he never wanted Khan to tell the truth.

Wider Implications

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

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 sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.