🔗 Share this article Judicial Body Upholds Conviction for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh Pritam Singh attended a hearing in November to appeal against his conviction. In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel. Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses connected with 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 ruled 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 decision but accepted it "completely and unequivocally". He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he remarked to the press. Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and stated his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans together with his colleagues. The Underlying Saga The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police act inappropriately towards a survivor. She later confessed her account was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware it was a lie. Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was fined 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 protested his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a sensitive issue. Points Contested During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment. The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses. 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 state's attorneys, 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 significant as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian. Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its political opponents—allegations 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.