🔗 Share this article Judicial Body Upholds Conviction for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh Pritam Singh was present at a court session in November to appeal against his guilty verdict. In a major court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a parliamentary committee. In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two charges related to 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 stated that the evidence presented supported Singh's guilty verdict. Leader's Response Singh, who heads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision but acknowledged 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. Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his intention to continue serving Singaporeans together with his colleagues. Background of the Case The controversy began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police misbehave towards a survivor. She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" 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 abusing her parliamentary privilege. Court's Rationale In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie. Singh, who maintained his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a sensitive issue. The Appeal Arguments During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the lower 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 questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan confess 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, proved he never intended for Khan to tell the truth. Broader Context Singh's case is notable as one of the rare criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker. Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its rivals—charges that the government have consistently denied. The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.