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In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal 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 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 judge ruled that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

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

He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to reporters.

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and stated his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

The Underlying Saga

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

She later admitted her account was fabricated, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" 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.

Judicial Reasoning

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 throughout the trial, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

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

When questioned 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 urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

Singh's case is significant as one of the rare criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its political opponents—allegations that the government have consistently denied.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.