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In a significant court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of lying to a parliamentary committee.

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

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

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision but accepted it "completely and unequivocally".

He settled his fines at the court complex following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

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 admitted her anecdote was fabricated, but testified 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 fined S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Court's Rationale

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, argued 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 lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan own up in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Broader Context

Singh's case is significant as one of the rare criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its political opponents—charges that authorities have consistently denied.

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