Pritam Singh disappointed by appeal loss, but fully respects court verdict on conviction for lying to parliamentary committee

SINGAPORE: Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh said he was "disappointed" but accepted the High Court's decision on Thursday (Dec 4) to uphold his conviction for lying to the Committee of Privileges.

He also admitted that he "took too long" to respond to former Workers' Party (WP) member Raeesah Khan's lie in parliament.

The WP chief was speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court after paying the S$14,000 (US$10,800) fine for his two charges.

"First and foremost, the Supreme Court is a vital pillar of our constitutional framework," said Mr Singh, who trained as a lawyer.

"I have always had deep respect for the independence, rigour and professionalism of the courts."

He said that while he was disappointed with the verdict, he respected and accepted the judgment "fully and without reservation".

"I certainly took too long to respond to Raeesah's lie in parliament. I take responsibility for that," he added.

Mr Singh was asked by the Straits Times about his comments on his case made on CNA's The Assembly, which aired last month. 

In response, he said on Thursday: "Being an opposition member of parliament, I will have political differences with my opponents. But those differences do not extend to tearing the system down, and questioning or impugning the integrity of the courts or even of civil servants, for example. 

"That cannot be how we conduct opposition politics in Singapore. So beyond what I've said in my opening remarks, I respect and accept the judgment."

Mr Singh also took a question by the South China Morning Post about how he fared in "the court of public opinion" after the verdict.

"Well, I want to be careful with that. The court in the matter of my magistrate's appeal has delivered its verdict, and I think we should respect it," he said.

In August 2021, Ms Khan lied in parliament about accompanying a rape survivor to make a police report.

She came clean in November 2021, and was referred to the Committee of Privileges to investigate her conduct in parliament. Mr Singh testified before that committee in December 2021.

In March 2024, Mr Singh was given two charges for falsely testifying to the committee that he wanted Ms Khan to clarify her lie in parliament.

He contested his charges in a trial and was found guilty on both charges in February this year. He then appealed against his conviction.

The verdict on Thursday brought his case to a close. Mr Singh said this has been "a long journey".

"Throughout it all, I have done my best to act with sincerity and fulfil my responsibilities to parliament and to Singaporeans. My commitment in that regard remains unchanged.

"My focus now is to continue serving Singaporeans and to speak up for them alongside my Workers' Party colleagues. That important work must continue," he said.

He also thanked Singaporeans who had followed his case for their "generous reservoirs of goodwill, kindness and support".

"Your support reminds me of the importance of the work that we do, and how important it is that your trust is not taken for granted.

"I thank everyone for your support. I will continue to do my best in service of Singapore and Singaporeans," he said.

In a statement posted on Facebook later on Thursday, the WP said it was studying the court's verdict and grounds of decision.

"The Workers' Party has weathered many challenges over the years. Our commitment to serving the people of Singapore remains unwavering," said the party.