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In a major court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses related to his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge declared that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision but accepted it "completely and unequivocally".

He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to the press.

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

The Underlying Saga

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a survivor.

She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "continue with the narrative" even though they were aware it was a lie.

Khan has since stepped down 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 "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

Singh, who protested his innocence throughout the trial, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a delicate issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer argued that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on 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 stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to attend to.

The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to tell the truth.

Wider Implications

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 pursue its political opponents—allegations 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.