SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Leader of the Opposition and Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh will appeal tomorrow against his conviction and S$14,000 (about RM45,100) fine for lying to a parliamentary committee, The Straits Times reported.

Singh was found guilty in February of giving false testimony to the Committee of Privileges (COP), which had investigated former WP MP Raeesah Khan’s false statement in Parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to a police station.

The court ruled that Singh had wilfully misled the COP and was directly involved in encouraging Khan to maintain her lie.

Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan said the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each charge was necessary to uphold the importance of truthfulness under oath.

Singh, who pleaded not guilty during the 13-day trial, said after the verdict that he intended to appeal the decision.

He is the first sitting opposition MP in nearly four decades to be convicted of a criminal offence.

The appeal will be heard by Justice Steven Chong at Singapore’s Supreme Court.

Despite the conviction, Singh retained his Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) seat in the May general election, winning 59.68 per cent of the vote.