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

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges related to his management 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 stated that the evidence presented justified 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 "completely and unequivocally".

He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to reporters.

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and stated his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

The Underlying Saga

The controversy began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim.

She later admitted her account was fabricated, 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 stepped down 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 determined 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, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a delicate issue.

The Appeal Arguments

During the appeal hearing, Singh's legal counsel contended that the lower 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 aides, who provided testimony.

When asked 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 state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted 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 target its rivals—charges that authorities have consistently denied.

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