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In a major court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of providing false statements to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges connected with 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 stated that the evidence presented supported Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

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

He settled his fines at the courthouse after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he remarked to reporters.

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

Background of the Case

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

She later confessed her anecdote was untrue, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" 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 protested 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 November court session, Singh's lawyer argued that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

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

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan own up in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

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

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to pursue its political opponents—charges that authorities have consistently denied.

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