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In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay 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 packed public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

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

He settled his fines at the courthouse after the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he remarked to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his parliamentary seat and stated his intention to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his party members.

The Underlying Saga

The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police act inappropriately towards a survivor.

She later admitted her anecdote was fabricated, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation 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 stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Judicial Reasoning

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

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.

The Appeal Arguments

During the appeal hearing, Singh's lawyer contended that the lower 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 "doing nothing" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other pressing commitments to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Broader Context

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

Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its political opponents—allegations that authorities have consistently denied.

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