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In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of providing false statements to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges related to his handling 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 judge ruled 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 "disheartened" with the decision but accepted it "fully and without reservation".

He settled his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he remarked to reporters.

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his seat in parliament and stated his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

Background of the Case

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

She later admitted her account was untrue, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed 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 fined S$35,000 for perjury and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

Singh, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to handle what was a delicate issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

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

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to attend to.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

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

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—charges that the government have consistently denied.

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