🔗 Share this article

In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges related to his management 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 stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

Singh, who heads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the ruling but accepted it "fully and without reservation".

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

The Underlying Saga

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

She later confessed her anecdote was untrue, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" 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 misusing her legislative immunity.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood.

Singh, who protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, argued that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer argued that the lower court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its original ruling.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who served as witnesses.

When asked 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 manage.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

Singh's case is notable as one of the very few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—allegations that authorities have always rejected.

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