In a significant court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee.
In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.
During a short hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.
Reaction from the Accused
Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".
He promptly paid his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to reporters.
Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his party members.
The Underlying Saga
The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a survivor.
She later confessed her account was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation 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 lying and misusing her legislative immunity.
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 protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a delicate issue.
Points Contested
During the appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer argued that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its original ruling.
The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her aides, who provided testimony.
When asked why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" 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 intended for Khan to tell the truth.
Broader Context
Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.
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 only opposition party in Singapore's current parliament, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.
