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

In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses related to his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

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

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision 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.

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans together with his colleagues.

Background of the Case

The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a survivor.

She later admitted her account was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised 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 lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" 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 delicate issue.

The Appeal Arguments

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony.

When asked why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

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

Wider Implications

Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its political opponents—charges that the government have consistently denied.

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