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In a notable court decision, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of providing false statements to a legislative panel.

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

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

Leader's Response

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

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans together with his colleagues.

Background of the Case

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

She later admitted her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" despite knowing it was a lie.

Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was fined S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

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

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

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

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

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" 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 state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted 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 previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—allegations that authorities have always rejected.

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