🔗 Share this article Judicial Body Affirms Conviction for Political Rival Pritam Singh Pritam Singh attended a court session in November to appeal against his conviction. In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee. Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses related to his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament. During a short hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge declared that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction. Reaction from the Accused Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but acknowledged it "fully and without reservation". He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he remarked to reporters. Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and stated his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues. Background of the Case The controversy began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a survivor. She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed 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 penalized S$35,000 for lying 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 correct the falsehood. Singh, who maintained his innocence during the entire proceedings, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to handle what was a sensitive issue. Points Contested During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended 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 questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan confess in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage. The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, 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. Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its political opponents—charges that the government have always rejected. The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.