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In a notable court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay 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 full public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that the evidence presented upheld Singh's guilty verdict.

Reaction from the Accused

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

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his seat in parliament and stated his intention to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

The Underlying Saga

The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed 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 resigned from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for lying and misusing her legislative immunity.

Court's Rationale

In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood.

Singh, who maintained 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 "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony.

When asked 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 prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

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

Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its political opponents—allegations that the government have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's current parliament, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.