🔗 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 conviction. In a major legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a parliamentary committee. Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses 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 presiding judge stated that the evidence presented upheld Singh's conviction. Leader's Response Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but accepted it "completely and unequivocally". He settled his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to the press. Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his parliamentary seat and stated his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his party members. Background of the Case The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim. She later confessed her account was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" 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. Court's Rationale In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie. Singh, who protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, argued that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a delicate issue. Points Contested During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling. The defense also attempted to question 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 after learning of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to attend to. The prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to tell the truth. Wider Implications Singh's case is significant as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian. Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—allegations that authorities have consistently denied. The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.