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

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

During a short hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding 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 acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to continue serving Singaporeans together with his party members.

Background of the Case

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

She later admitted her anecdote was untrue, but stated during a official inquiry 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 penalized S$35,000 for perjury and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

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

Singh, who maintained his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to allow Khan space to handle what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer argued that the lower court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

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

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" 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, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

Singh's case is notable as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its rivals—charges that authorities have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.