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In a significant court decision, Singapore's opposition leader 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 connected with his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

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

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the ruling 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 remarked to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his party members.

Background of the Case

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

She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation 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 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 maintained his innocence throughout the trial, argued 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 contended that the lower 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 assistants, 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 pressing commitments to attend to.

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

Broader Context

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

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its political opponents—allegations 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.