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In a major court decision, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel.

In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges connected with 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 guilty verdict.

Reaction from the Accused

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

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

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

Background of the Case

The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a survivor.

She later admitted her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" despite knowing 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.

Court's Rationale

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 during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the appeal hearing, Singh's legal counsel contended 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 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 explained that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, proved he never wanted 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 leveraging the courts to pursue its rivals—allegations that authorities have always rejected.

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