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In a major legal ruling, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges connected with his management 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 ruled that the evidence presented supported Singh's guilty verdict.

Reaction from the Accused

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

He promptly paid his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he remarked to reporters.

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his party members.

The Underlying Saga

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

She later admitted her anecdote was untrue, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware 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 clarify her lie.

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

Points Contested

During the appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her assistants, 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 stated that he had other pressing commitments to attend to.

The prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated 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 previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target 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.