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In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges related to his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented upheld Singh's guilty verdict.

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but acknowledged it "fully and without reservation".

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

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his parliamentary seat and affirmed his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans together with his party members.

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 confessed her account was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed 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 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 correct the falsehood.

Singh, who protested 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 appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its original ruling.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" 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, argued that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

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

Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—charges that authorities have consistently denied.

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