Iswaran, who was sentenced to 12 months’ jail on Oct 3, had pleaded guilty to accepting a number of valuable items from Mr Ong, including an all-expense-paid trip to Doha.
Iswaran admitted to four charges under Section 165 and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Court documents showed it was Mr Ong who alerted Iswaran that CPIB had seized the flight manifest for the trip in December 2022, prompting the former Cabinet minister to ask the tycoon to bill him for the flight to avoid investigations into the gifts.
Mr Ong, 78, is known as the man who brought F1 to Singapore in 2008 – the first night race in the sport’s history. He owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix.
Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee. He was also the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters relating to the race.
Former Singapore minister S Iswaran sentenced to 12 months' jail for obtaining valuables worth S$403,300, obstructing justice
SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S Iswaran has been sentenced to jail for obtaining gifts worth about S$403,300 (US$313,200) over seven years, fromtwo businessmen he considered his friends.
The 62-year-old was given a jail term of 12 months on Thursday (Oct 3), after his decision to plead guilty on the first day of trial proceedings cut short what was set to be a protracted trial with 56 prosecution witnesses.
In sentencing, Justice Vincent Hoong said he had considered submissions on sentence from both prosecution and defence but was "ultimately unable to agree with both the positions taken".
Iswaran's lead lawyer Davinder Singh had argued for no more than eight weeks' jail, while Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong sought a jail term of six to seven months.
"I'm of the view it is appropriate to impose a sentence in excess of both parties' positions," said Justice Hoong, adding that taking the submission of either prosecution or defence would result in a "manifestly inadequate sentence".
Justice Hoong noted certain aggravating factors such as the total duration of Iswaran's offending, the high office he occupied and the overall harm to public interest as well as trust in public institutions.
Mr Singh asked for the jail term to be deferred to Oct 7, and for Iswaran to surrender at 4pm at the State Courts that day.
However, he stressed that this is subject to the defence taking instructions from Iswaran, alluding to the possibility of an appeal. Iswaran remains out on bail of S$800,000 in the meantime.
ABUSED POSITION, ACTED WITH DELIBERATION: JUDGE
In a summary of his judgment that took about 40 minutes to read before a packed courtroom, Justice Hoong rejected various submissions by the defence.
These include the arguments that a 30 per cent guilty-plea discount should be applied across the board for Iswaran's charges, and that it was mitigating since the cost of a flight taken by Iswaran would have been incurred whether or not Iswaran went on it.
Justice Hoong said Iswaran occupied "the highest level of executive office", and that the business transactions in the case were "of wide public interest". The greater the public interest, the greater the harm, he explained.
Iswaran's culpability was therefore higher as he had been a minister for six to 10 years when the offences were committed.
Justice Hoong also found that Iswaran had "acted with deliberation" in the sixth charge, where he obtained 10 Green Room tickets worth S$42,265 to the 2017 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix from Mr Ong, as he had specifically requested these items.
Iswaran had also acted with deliberation for the Singapore-Doha trip, taking urgent personal leave to "enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip", said Justice Hoong.
He found that Iswaran had "abused his position" for these two charges, despite knowing that Mr Ong had a particularly close connection with his official duties.
However, the judge found that Iswaran did not act with premeditation or deliberation in the proceeded charges involving Mr Lum.
As for Iswaran's public service and contributions to Singapore, Justice Hoong said they are "at best a neutral factor in sentencing".
Regarding Iswaran's voluntary disgorgement, Justice Hoong said the harm done to public interest was "unlikely to be adequately remedied by these actions".
"It is also significant in my view that the accused had simultaneously made public statements rejecting the allegations as false and asserting his innocence," said the judge.
He cited an example of Iswaran's published letter to then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, where he rejected the allegations and expressed his "strong belief" that he would be acquitted.
As for the defence's explanation on why it took time for Iswaran to decide to plead guilty, Justice Hoong said he was "unable to accept" this submission.
He said Iswaran could have indicated that he was contesting the initial corruption charges and agreeing to plead guilty to the rest, but he did not.
"In my view, the accused, having made the tactical choices he did at the initial stage of proceedings must stand by the consequences of those choices," said Justice Hoong.
"I'm unable to accept that the colour and complexion of those charges were affected by the initial framing of the charges under Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations in the 165 charges related to the receipt of various items over a significant period of time in distinct incidents relating to various official functions of the accused."
The sentencing comes more than a year after details of the probe by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) first came to light, and 10 months after Iswaran was first charged in court.
Bottles of whisky and wine, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle were also seized from him.
All key negotiations + compromises were already conducted/arrived at behind the scenes, today's show is thus nothing more than a fucking formality. You play your role to a tee, and I will do the same as well. 我呸!!!!
Iswaran did not know gifts from Ong Beng Seng, Lum Kok Seng were 'veiled gratification', says lawyer
SINGAPORE: Former Transport Minister S Iswaran did not know or suspect that gifts from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng and construction firm boss Lum Kok Seng were "veiled gratification", his lawyer said on Wednesday (May 8).
"He was dealing with very, very dear and close friends," said defence lawyer Davinder Singh during a court hearing to argue for a joint trial of all his charges.
"His state of mind at that time was that not only was he dealing with close friends, he had no idea at all that there was any ... he had no knowledge or suspicion that the gifts were offered as veiled gratification."
Iswaran, 61, attended the hearing in the High Court on Wednesday. He was represented by Mr Singh, Mr Navin Thevar and Mr Rajvinder Singh of Davinder Singh Chambers.
He succeeded in his application to have all charges heard in the same trial, with a High Court judge agreeing with his arguments.
The first set of charges comprises 24 counts of obtaining valuables as a public servant, two of corruption and one of obstructing justice.
These include corruptly receiving more than S$166,000 (US$122,418) worth of flights, hotel stays and tickets to events in exchange for advancing the business interests of Mr Ong.
In the second set of charges, Iswaran is accused of obtaining valuables worth nearly S$19,000 from Mr Lum Kok Seng, the managing director of Singapore-listed Lum Chang Holdings.
Iswaran has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Mr Ong and Mr Lum have not been charged.
He told Justice Vincent Hoong - also set to be the trial judge - that tentative trial dates had been set for the first 27 charges – which he referred to as the OBS charges – in August and September, before Iswaran was given the second set of charges involving Mr Lum.
The prosecution had sought to "push off" the first set of charges, Mr Singh said.
But the defence objected to having the second set of charges heard first and asked for all the charges to be heard together.
"In truth, the OBS trial hadn't been fixed, what the prosecution was and is today seeking is to push off the OBS trial and to use the dates that have been allocated for the OBS charges, for the (Lum Kok Seng) charges.
"That cannot happen unless the prosecution satisfies you that there is reasonable cause for that," Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh added that the prosecution has not shown reasonable cause and that its claim of resource constraints was "extraordinary".
He pointed out that the prosecution had more lawyers than the defence did and that the issue had not cropped up when the trial dates were set for the first set of charges.
He also suggested that the prosecution wanted separate trials so as to have a "preview" of the defence.
Mr Singh argued that having resource constraints was "not a good basis" to adjourn a trial, as his client has been waiting for his day in court.
The lawyer said that the charges should be heard in a joint trial due to "similar features" in the charges. He also pointed out that his client had a total of 32 charges of obtaining valuables as a public servant.
"(A grand total of 32 charges) all invoking a section which has never, to my knowledge, been invoked in Singapore courts.
This is going to be the first time the Singapore courts are dealing with (Section) 165, its ingredients and what defence is available," said Mr Singh.
This was a matter of public interest, he argued.
PROSECUTION'S REBUTTAL
Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong, Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng and four other Deputy Public Prosecutors appeared for the prosecution.
Mr Tai argued that there was "no basis" for a joint trial of all the charges.
He said that "certain statements made" may cast the prosecution in a negative light and he had to set the record straight.
"We asked for the (Lum Kok Seng) charges to be tried first and OBS charges to be tried consecutively. Two trials. It has been consistent. We have not deviated from this position today," he added.
On the suggestion that the prosecution wanted to split the charges to have a preview of the defence, Mr Tai said: "With respect to defence if he has a good defence and shows reasonable doubt ... he would be acquitted. There is no issue of preview."
Addressing why the two sets of charges were tendered separately, Mr Tai said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had only completed investigations into the charges involving Mr Lum after the first set of charges were tendered in court.
"We have a duty to conduct this case in public interest and it is not static duty, it's ongoing duty, so every time there is a considerable change in facts we need to review and decide what to do next," said the Deputy Attorney-General.
He added it was "common practice" for the prosecution to proceed with some charges at trial and not others. In the prosecution's view, the two sets of charges have "no connection" and have different contexts.
"The underlying transactions, in our view, that bring it under (Section) 165 are entirely different," he said, objecting to a joint trial.
In its submissions, the prosecution said the offences in both sets of charges were committed at different places and at different times, with circumstances "independent of each other" and involving separate relationships and dealings between the giver and Iswaran.
Justice Hoong adjourned the hearing shortly before midday, with parties set to return in the afternoon.
When the hearing resumed, Mr Singh said: "(The prosecution's) submissions are noteworthy for what he did not say and did not address."
"Having told the whole world that this is a matter of public interest, why push (the OBS charges) back? That has not been addressed except by my learned friend saying that it is for the prosecution to decide that," said Mr Singh.
"By swapping, or rather, inserting the (Lum Kok Seng) charges first and pushing OBS back, and given the similarity in features, including state of mind ... they are effectively getting a preview of what our defence will be on the OBS charges before they even open the case of the OBS charges, and that turns justice on its head."
It was not right or fair for the prosecution to get a preview, he said.
He pointed out that the prosecution also said that it might not proceed with the next set of charges, depending on the outcome of the first trial.
This suggests that the prosecution might not proceed with the OBS charges, noted Mr Singh.
Addressing the prosecution's point on how investigations were ongoing even after Iswaran was first charged, Mr Singh produced a copy of parliament records dated Jan 9, 2024 when Education Minister Chan Chun Sing had replied to Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Hazel Poa's query on the status of CPIB investigations.
"I raised this because things do not accord with what was said earlier," said Mr Singh.
JUDGE'S DECISION
Justice Hoongoutlined two main issues: Whether the application for a joint trial was within the sole prerogative of the prosecution, and whether the charges were similar enough to be heard jointly.
He found that the application for a joint trial was not just within the prosecution's prerogative.
On the second issue, Justice Hoong determined that the Section 165 charges across both sets of charges were "legally identical".
He noted that Mr Singh confirmed that Iswaran's state of mind across both sets was also "materially similar".
That both sets of charges involve different givers, items received or witnesses did not indicate that they were factually dissimilar, the judge said, adding that the court was concerned with a wider similarity.
"For completeness, if I have to consider the prejudice that would be occasioned to (Iswaran with a separate trial), I would find that (he) raised reasonable concerns, including time, expense, and pressure with two separate trials which would inevitably arise," Justice Hoong.
Leaving court more than seven hours after the start of his hearing, Iswaran told a media scrum, "Thank you for coming everyone, sorry it's been a very long day."
He declined to comment on the outcome of his hearing.
Iswaran faces 8 new charges over obtaining $19k in items including Brompton bike, golf clubs
SINGAPORE – Former transport minister S. Iswaran was handed eight new charges in court on March 25.
These are under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence for public servants to accept gifts from someone involved with them in an official capacity.
When asked by District Judge Brenda Tan, Iswaran – who now faces 35 charges in total – said he pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.
On March 25, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that Iswaran had allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuables with a total value of about $18,956.94from a Lum Kok Seng.
Iswaran had allegedly known him to be involved in business that had a connection with his official function as minister for transport.
These alleged offences were committed between November 2021 and November 2022.
The business transacted involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for addition and alteration works to Tanah Merah MRT station and existing viaducts.
The website of Lum Chang, a property management, interior design and construction firm, lists Mr Lum as its managing director.
The firm’s construction arm, Lum Chang Building Contractors, has taken on multibillion-dollar civil, building and infrastructural projects in Singapore, including being the main contractor for Bukit Panjang MRT station along the Downtown Line.
An LTA spokesperson said on March 25 that the statutory board has two ongoing projects with Lum Chang Building Contractors, including the one at Tanah Merah station that was awarded in October 2016.
The other one is the construction of the North-South Corridor tunnel between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 9 that was awarded in December 2018.
“LTA has not awarded any contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors since 2019,” the spokesperson added.
An Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) spokesperson said it will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Mr Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Lum Chang spokesperson pointed to a statement by its board of directors issued to employees on March 25.
The statement said the board is aware that Mr Lum and Lum Chang Building Contractors were mentioned in media reports involving Iswaran and will make an announcement when there are material developments in the case.
Iswaran arrived in court on March 25 at about 8.20am with members of his legal team from Davinder Singh Chambers.
Speaking to the media gathered outside the court, he said: “Sorry you all had to get up so early this morning.”
As he walked towards the court trailed by members of the media, one of them tripped and fell. Iswaran helped him pick up his belongings.
Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng told the court that the purpose of the March 25 hearing was to tender eight additional charges against Iswaran and transmit the new charges to the High Court.
Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of Iswaran’s lawyers, questioned why the new charges were tendered only now, and if the prosecution intended to file more charges against his client.
“The eight new charges today were not part of the 36 (cautioned statements),” the defence lawyer added.
A cautioned statement sets out a notice for an accused person to provide his defence in response to an offence he is being charged with.
Mr Thevar added that the eight new charges related to matters that the CPIB had questioned Iswaran over in July and August 2023.
He said: “On March 16, three days before the criminal case disclosure conference (CCDC) at the High Court, CPIB called my client in and he was served eight new charges.”
During a CCDC, the prosecution and the defence disclose information about the case to facilitate the trial process.
Mr Thevar added: “When Mr Iswaran asked CPIB when the charges would be brought in court, he was told a decision had not been made.”
Chief Prosecutor Tan said in response that all charges tendered against Iswaran were based on evidence uncovered by CPIB and they had been reviewed by the AGC.
Iswaran allowed to leave S’pore to help son settle in at Australia uni; case transferred to High Court
SINGAPORE - Former transport minister S. Iswaran has been granted permission to leave Singapore to settle his son into university in Australia, three weeks after he was handed 27 charges, which he pleaded not guilty to.
On Feb 8, Iswaran, who is out on $800,000 bail, turned up at the State Courts at around 2.30pm to make an application to leave jurisdiction from Feb 16 to March 4.
The prosecution imposed several conditions to this application, including a cash bail of $500,000. Iswaran must also provide his itinerary and his address overseas to the investigation officer (IO) and remain contactable by the IO.
He must also surrender his travel documents within 24 hours of his return to Singapore.
Iswaran’s bailor, who was identified in court as Mr Ng, agreed to those conditions before the judge.
When The Straits Times approached him after the hearing to ask what his relation to Iswaran is, Mr Ng did not respond and walked away.
Iswaran’s case will also be transferred to the High Court, with the prosecution saying this was due to the strong public interest in this case.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue and Deputy Public Prosecutor Kelvin Chong did not elaborate on this. Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng, who leads the prosecution team in this case, was not present in court.
Senior Counsel Davinder Singh from Davinder Singh Chambers, who is leading the defence team for Iswaran, was also not in court.
Defence lawyer Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar requested an early trial for his client so the “evidence can be fully aired and the matter decided as soon as possible”.
Mr Thevar said he wrote to the prosecution in January to indicate Iswaran’s request for an early trial, and agreed that this matter should be heard in the High Court.
The defence lawyer then sought the prosecution’s agreement to an early trial, adding that this should be possible, as the authorities have “had a long time to investigate this matter”.
In response, Mr Jiang said the judge’s schedule in the High Court should be taken into consideration for this, and that this matter can be addressed when a case conference is called.
All 27 charges Iswaran faces were re-read to him on Feb 8, as required when a case is transferred to the High Court.
A criminal case disclosure conference for the case will be held in the High Court on March 22.
Iswaran is accused of 24 counts of obtaining, as a minister, items with a total value of more than $200,000 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Mr Ong is the man who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
These items include tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix (GP), football matches in Britain and musicals.
Several of the charges were related to alleged incidents that happened between 2015 and 2021, and involved him allegedly obtaining tickets to a football match between West Ham United and Everton and to shows such as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
He also faces a charge of obstructing the course of justice on or about May 25, 2023.
According to court documents, he had allegedly made repayment of $5,700 – the cost of his business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore that he had taken on Dec 11, 2022, at Mr Ong’s expense – through Singapore GP.
Aiyah have no fear, he will surely return to SG. After all, it was he himself who insisted so ever vehemently he's innocent, absconding while on bail would therefore cement his guilt 100%. I doubt he would be that foolhardy.
Singapore Minister’s Legal Woes Sink Storied Political Career
S. Iswaran, the Singapore transport minister who resigned after facing graft charges, was in public service for more than a quarter of a century. It took just months for his storied career to unravel.
The 61-year-old Iswaran — who helped bring Formula 1 racing to Singapore and represented the city-state at the World Economic Forum — was charged Thursday with two counts of corruption, 24 counts of obtaining “valuable things” from someone he had business dealings with as a public servant, and one for obstructing justice.
He said he’s innocent. He tendered his resignation earlier this week to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who accepted it on Wednesday.
“I reject the allegations in the charges and will now focus on clearing my name,” Iswaran said in a letter to Lee on Jan. 16.
“Given the circumstances, I feel it is right for me to resign from Cabinet, as a member of parliament and as a member” of the ruling People’s Action Party, he said.
Iswaran’s resignation is the end of a high-flying government career that had seen him in leadership positions in at least five ministries, including key ones such as trade, a sector vital to the city-state’s survival.
His downfall marks a low point for Singapore, which prides itself on a reputation for clean governance and business-friendly policies. The People’s Action Party, whose distinct white uniforms are meant to signify its politicians’ incorruptibility, has ruled the island since the country’s independence in 1965.
“I am disappointed and saddened that you are leaving politics in these circumstances,” Lee wrote in reply to Iswaran. “But it is essential that I deal with such matters rigorously in accordance with the law. It is the right thing to do.”
Iswaran had held the role of transport minister since May 2021, and was concurrently the minister-in-charge of trade relations, representing Singapore at global meetings such as the WEF in Davos and those by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Tasked by Lee for almost a decade to deliver the annual National Day speech in Tamil — one of Singapore’s four official languages — it was the premier himself who announced in July the anti-corruption agency’s probe into Iswaran. Lee later said Iswaran had been blocked from access to official resources and government buildings, the same corridors he had roamed since first winning a seat in parliament in 1997.
Tough Times
The Iswaran scandal is taking place at a particularly sensitive time, with the country preparing for a leadership change this year when Lee is expected to hand power over to his deputy, Lawrence Wong.
Iswaran’s arrest in July 2023 added to a difficult few months for the PAP, with voters’ trust already shaken by the poor optics of two ministers renting state-owned colonial mansions. They were later cleared of wrongdoing in a government review. In mid-July, speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin — once seen by observers as a prime ministerial candidate — resigned after an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker.
Singapore’s ministers are among the world’s best-paid, earning about S$1.1 million ($820,000) a year, according to the Public Service Division. The city-state is ranked as the fifth-least corrupt country in the world, according to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, trailing Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Norway.
Iswaran was alleged to have improperly obtained tickets to watch musicals and soccer matches in the UK over a period of years from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Iswaran was also charged with obtaining dozens of tickets to the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix race over several years from Ong.
A spokesman for Ong declined to comment about the case.
Career Journey
Iswaran started his public service journey in 1987 in the home affairs and education ministries before he was seconded to the National Trades Union Congress, an umbrella labor movement with ties to the government. He was the first chief executive officer of the Singapore Indian Development Association, a government-approved body aimed at boosting the socio-economic status of the local Indian community.
He was director for international trade in the lead up to Singapore’s hosting of the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference in 1996. Later, he was managing director at state-owned investor Temasek Holdings, where he carried out investment, takeover, buy-out and merger transactions in the pharmaceuticals, biotech, high-tech manufacturing, transport and logistics sectors.
Iswaran’s working relationship with Ong predated the 2008 arrival of F1’s night race in Singapore. When he was managing director at Temasek in the early 2000s, the state investor backed Ong’s bid for NatSteel Ltd., Singapore’s biggest steelmaker.
The tycoon won control of the steelmaker in 2003 through one of his entities known as 98 Holdings Ltd., which listed Iswaran as a director on behalf of Temasek. The state investor unloaded its stake in Ong’s firm in 2004. In 2022, a consortium led by Ong, together with units of Temasek, acquired a media and property company in the city-state.
Easy Camaraderie
Iswaran boasted an easy camaraderie publicly with legislative and ministerial colleagues. He was often seen chatting with peers as they left the parliament floor, where he has a seat in the front row as a minister.
As is typical with many Singapore politicians, Iswaran’s family is rarely in the limelight. He met his wife when they were both in their late teens and studying at the University of Adelaide, she said in an interview with India Se magazine in 2019. He read economics there, and later earned a masters in public administration from Harvard University.
His wife is listed as chairwoman of a non-profit organization which helps students from low-income families when there is a crisis. They have three children who are now around their early 20s, according to the 2019 interview.
His Instagram feed over eight years featured mainly his interactions with constituents on his walkabouts and at community events, cycling around the island, hosting visiting politicians from overseas and his travels for work. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made some appearances, as did other politicians from the South Asian country. One post was a picture of Iswaran, his son and soccer star David Beckham.
Famous Friends
In the early months of Covid-19, Iswaran reached out to Indian celebrities including actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and musician A.R. Rahman to send messages of support to the local migrant worker community who weren’t allowed to leave their dorms.
The transport portfolio he oversaw is one of the most challenging in the Cabinet. The ills of subway breakdowns, a shortage of taxis or complaints about ride-hailing platforms and high car prices are shared on social media quickly and widely, with blame directed at the government.
In announcing a 2021 Cabinet reshuffle, Lee praised Iswaran’s work in his prior role as communications and information minister, saying he had “helped us understand and respond to citizens’ views and concerns.”
Iswaran made reviving aviation a priority after the pandemic devastated the travel industry. The national carrier had cut thousands of jobs during Covid-19 and was forced to raise billions of dollars to survive.
As the nation gradually reopened its borders and allowed more freedoms domestically with the easing of the pandemic, Iswaran said in January 2022 that Singapore would continue to host the F1 race for another seven years after “thoroughly evaluating the long term benefits that a term extension could bring.”
Lee wrote to Iswaran on Wednesday that the integrity of the ruling party and government must be upheld.
I just noticed Iswaran's baldpate is pretty dull, unlike Tharman's shiny masterpiece. Perhaps this explains why lady luck hasn't smiled much on him of late.
CPIB completes investigation on Iswaran, case pending AGC review
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau's (CPIB) investigation into Minister for Transport S. Iswaran has been completed and is currently being reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers, said Minister Chan Chun Sing, on behalf of the Prime Minister.
In a written response to Progress Singapore Party's Hazel Poa's parliamentary question asking for an update on the CPIB's investigation of Iswaran, Chan said that he understands there is much public interest in the matter.
"I want to give my assurance that this case will be put through the due legal process," he added, stating that the CPIB has completed a "robust and thorough investigation".
"The matter is currently being reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers. It would, therefore, not be appropriate to comment on the matter at this juncture," he added.
CPIB investigating Iswaran since May 2023
CPIB came across information on Iswaran during another investigation.
This started a quiet investigation in May 2023, and PM Lee was alerted to it on May 29, 2023.
On Jul. 5, CPIB told PM Lee that they had attained adequate information to launch a formal investigation into Iswaran. PM Lee gave the director of CPIB his concurrence to launch a formal investigation.
Iswaran was subsequently arrested by CPIB on Jul. 11 and released on bail.
He was arrested on the same day as billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng.
PM Lee instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until CPIB's investigations are completed.
Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat is currently the Acting Minister for Transport.
PM Lee said that Iswaran does not have access to any official resources and government buildings during his leave of absence.
He is also to remain in Singapore while investigations are ongoing.
CPIB stated that it is unable to provide further details about the case while investigations are ongoing.
I dare say he will come away largely unscathed - if anything he would be slapped with a customary fine at most. It's no secret the PAP desperately wants, or rather needs to leverage his sprawling business network, not least his ownership to the F1 rights in SG. When one gets "arrested" and yet the authorities still gives him free rein to do as he so damn pleases, you should know very well he's going to have the very last laugh.
He's under investigation and hasn't yet been slapped with any charges, so I guess he gets to "remain" as part of the West Coast team....for now that is
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng to be charged on Oct 4 in relation to Iswaran’s case
SINGAPORE - Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, the chairman of Formula One (F1) race promoter Singapore GP, will be charged on Oct 4.
He faces one charge under Section 165, where he is accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Mr Ong was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on July 11, 2023, amid a graft probe that involved former transport minister S. Iswaran.
Iswaran, who was sentenced to 12 months’ jail on Oct 3, had pleaded guilty to accepting a number of valuable items from Mr Ong, including an all-expense-paid trip to Doha.
Iswaran admitted to four charges under Section 165 and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Court documents showed it was Mr Ong who alerted Iswaran that CPIB had seized the flight manifest for the trip in December 2022, prompting the former Cabinet minister to ask the tycoon to bill him for the flight to avoid investigations into the gifts.
This formed the basis of Iswaran’s obstruction of justice charge, which he pleaded guilty to on Sept 24.
Mr Ong, 78, is known as the man who brought F1 to Singapore in 2008 – the first night race in the sport’s history. He owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix.
Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee. He was also the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters relating to the race.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/property-tycoon-ong-beng-seng-to-be-charged-on-oct-4
Former Singapore minister S Iswaran sentenced to 12 months' jail for obtaining valuables worth S$403,300, obstructing justice
SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S Iswaran has been sentenced to jail for obtaining gifts worth about S$403,300 (US$313,200) over seven years, from two businessmen he considered his friends.
The 62-year-old was given a jail term of 12 months on Thursday (Oct 3), after his decision to plead guilty on the first day of trial proceedings cut short what was set to be a protracted trial with 56 prosecution witnesses.
In sentencing, Justice Vincent Hoong said he had considered submissions on sentence from both prosecution and defence but was "ultimately unable to agree with both the positions taken".
Iswaran's lead lawyer Davinder Singh had argued for no more than eight weeks' jail, while Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong sought a jail term of six to seven months.
"I'm of the view it is appropriate to impose a sentence in excess of both parties' positions," said Justice Hoong, adding that taking the submission of either prosecution or defence would result in a "manifestly inadequate sentence".
Justice Hoong noted certain aggravating factors such as the total duration of Iswaran's offending, the high office he occupied and the overall harm to public interest as well as trust in public institutions.
Mr Singh asked for the jail term to be deferred to Oct 7, and for Iswaran to surrender at 4pm at the State Courts that day.
However, he stressed that this is subject to the defence taking instructions from Iswaran, alluding to the possibility of an appeal. Iswaran remains out on bail of S$800,000 in the meantime.
ABUSED POSITION, ACTED WITH DELIBERATION: JUDGE
In a summary of his judgment that took about 40 minutes to read before a packed courtroom, Justice Hoong rejected various submissions by the defence.
These include the arguments that a 30 per cent guilty-plea discount should be applied across the board for Iswaran's charges, and that it was mitigating since the cost of a flight taken by Iswaran would have been incurred whether or not Iswaran went on it.
Justice Hoong said Iswaran occupied "the highest level of executive office", and that the business transactions in the case were "of wide public interest". The greater the public interest, the greater the harm, he explained.
Iswaran's culpability was therefore higher as he had been a minister for six to 10 years when the offences were committed.
Justice Hoong also found that Iswaran had "acted with deliberation" in the sixth charge, where he obtained 10 Green Room tickets worth S$42,265 to the 2017 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix from Mr Ong, as he had specifically requested these items.
Iswaran had also acted with deliberation for the Singapore-Doha trip, taking urgent personal leave to "enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip", said Justice Hoong.
He found that Iswaran had "abused his position" for these two charges, despite knowing that Mr Ong had a particularly close connection with his official duties.
However, the judge found that Iswaran did not act with premeditation or deliberation in the proceeded charges involving Mr Lum.
As for Iswaran's public service and contributions to Singapore, Justice Hoong said they are "at best a neutral factor in sentencing".
Regarding Iswaran's voluntary disgorgement, Justice Hoong said the harm done to public interest was "unlikely to be adequately remedied by these actions".
"It is also significant in my view that the accused had simultaneously made public statements rejecting the allegations as false and asserting his innocence," said the judge.
He cited an example of Iswaran's published letter to then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, where he rejected the allegations and expressed his "strong belief" that he would be acquitted.
As for the defence's explanation on why it took time for Iswaran to decide to plead guilty, Justice Hoong said he was "unable to accept" this submission.
He said Iswaran could have indicated that he was contesting the initial corruption charges and agreeing to plead guilty to the rest, but he did not.
"In my view, the accused, having made the tactical choices he did at the initial stage of proceedings must stand by the consequences of those choices," said Justice Hoong.
"I'm unable to accept that the colour and complexion of those charges were affected by the initial framing of the charges under Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations in the 165 charges related to the receipt of various items over a significant period of time in distinct incidents relating to various official functions of the accused."
The sentencing comes more than a year after details of the probe by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) first came to light, and 10 months after Iswaran was first charged in court.
Bottles of whisky and wine, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle were also seized from him.
More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/iswaran-jail-12-months-sentence-section-165-gifts-obstructing-justice-transport-minister-4654161
One Chinese Man's criminal trial begins tomorrow morning:
Iswaran did not know gifts from Ong Beng Seng, Lum Kok Seng were 'veiled gratification', says lawyer
SINGAPORE: Former Transport Minister S Iswaran did not know or suspect that gifts from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng and construction firm boss Lum Kok Seng were "veiled gratification", his lawyer said on Wednesday (May 8).
"He was dealing with very, very dear and close friends," said defence lawyer Davinder Singh during a court hearing to argue for a joint trial of all his charges.
"His state of mind at that time was that not only was he dealing with close friends, he had no idea at all that there was any ... he had no knowledge or suspicion that the gifts were offered as veiled gratification."
Iswaran, 61, attended the hearing in the High Court on Wednesday. He was represented by Mr Singh, Mr Navin Thevar and Mr Rajvinder Singh of Davinder Singh Chambers.
He succeeded in his application to have all charges heard in the same trial, with a High Court judge agreeing with his arguments.
Iswaran was first handed 27 charges on Jan 18 and given another eight charges on Mar 25.
The first set of charges comprises 24 counts of obtaining valuables as a public servant, two of corruption and one of obstructing justice.
These include corruptly receiving more than S$166,000 (US$122,418) worth of flights, hotel stays and tickets to events in exchange for advancing the business interests of Mr Ong.
In the second set of charges, Iswaran is accused of obtaining valuables worth nearly S$19,000 from Mr Lum Kok Seng, the managing director of Singapore-listed Lum Chang Holdings.
Iswaran has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Mr Ong and Mr Lum have not been charged.
DEFENCE OPENS HEARING
Opening the hearing, Mr Singh set out the timeline of court events after his client was charged in January.
He told Justice Vincent Hoong - also set to be the trial judge - that tentative trial dates had been set for the first 27 charges – which he referred to as the OBS charges – in August and September, before Iswaran was given the second set of charges involving Mr Lum.
The prosecution had sought to "push off" the first set of charges, Mr Singh said.
But the defence objected to having the second set of charges heard first and asked for all the charges to be heard together.
"In truth, the OBS trial hadn't been fixed, what the prosecution was and is today seeking is to push off the OBS trial and to use the dates that have been allocated for the OBS charges, for the (Lum Kok Seng) charges.
"That cannot happen unless the prosecution satisfies you that there is reasonable cause for that," Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh added that the prosecution has not shown reasonable cause and that its claim of resource constraints was "extraordinary".
He pointed out that the prosecution had more lawyers than the defence did and that the issue had not cropped up when the trial dates were set for the first set of charges.
He also suggested that the prosecution wanted separate trials so as to have a "preview" of the defence.
Mr Singh argued that having resource constraints was "not a good basis" to adjourn a trial, as his client has been waiting for his day in court.
The lawyer said that the charges should be heard in a joint trial due to "similar features" in the charges. He also pointed out that his client had a total of 32 charges of obtaining valuables as a public servant.
"(A grand total of 32 charges) all invoking a section which has never, to my knowledge, been invoked in Singapore courts.
This is going to be the first time the Singapore courts are dealing with (Section) 165, its ingredients and what defence is available," said Mr Singh.
This was a matter of public interest, he argued.
PROSECUTION'S REBUTTAL
Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong, Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng and four other Deputy Public Prosecutors appeared for the prosecution.
Mr Tai argued that there was "no basis" for a joint trial of all the charges.
He said that "certain statements made" may cast the prosecution in a negative light and he had to set the record straight.
"We asked for the (Lum Kok Seng) charges to be tried first and OBS charges to be tried consecutively. Two trials. It has been consistent. We have not deviated from this position today," he added.
On the suggestion that the prosecution wanted to split the charges to have a preview of the defence, Mr Tai said: "With respect to defence if he has a good defence and shows reasonable doubt ... he would be acquitted. There is no issue of preview."
Addressing why the two sets of charges were tendered separately, Mr Tai said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had only completed investigations into the charges involving Mr Lum after the first set of charges were tendered in court.
"We have a duty to conduct this case in public interest and it is not static duty, it's ongoing duty, so every time there is a considerable change in facts we need to review and decide what to do next," said the Deputy Attorney-General.
He added it was "common practice" for the prosecution to proceed with some charges at trial and not others. In the prosecution's view, the two sets of charges have "no connection" and have different contexts.
"The underlying transactions, in our view, that bring it under (Section) 165 are entirely different," he said, objecting to a joint trial.
In its submissions, the prosecution said the offences in both sets of charges were committed at different places and at different times, with circumstances "independent of each other" and involving separate relationships and dealings between the giver and Iswaran.
Justice Hoong adjourned the hearing shortly before midday, with parties set to return in the afternoon.
When the hearing resumed, Mr Singh said: "(The prosecution's) submissions are noteworthy for what he did not say and did not address."
"Having told the whole world that this is a matter of public interest, why push (the OBS charges) back? That has not been addressed except by my learned friend saying that it is for the prosecution to decide that," said Mr Singh.
"By swapping, or rather, inserting the (Lum Kok Seng) charges first and pushing OBS back, and given the similarity in features, including state of mind ... they are effectively getting a preview of what our defence will be on the OBS charges before they even open the case of the OBS charges, and that turns justice on its head."
It was not right or fair for the prosecution to get a preview, he said.
He pointed out that the prosecution also said that it might not proceed with the next set of charges, depending on the outcome of the first trial.
This suggests that the prosecution might not proceed with the OBS charges, noted Mr Singh.
Addressing the prosecution's point on how investigations were ongoing even after Iswaran was first charged, Mr Singh produced a copy of parliament records dated Jan 9, 2024 when Education Minister Chan Chun Sing had replied to Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Hazel Poa's query on the status of CPIB investigations.
Mr Chan had said then that the CPIB had completed a "robust and thorough" investigation, and the matter was being reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers.
"I raised this because things do not accord with what was said earlier," said Mr Singh.
JUDGE'S DECISION
Justice Hoong outlined two main issues: Whether the application for a joint trial was within the sole prerogative of the prosecution, and whether the charges were similar enough to be heard jointly.
He found that the application for a joint trial was not just within the prosecution's prerogative.
On the second issue, Justice Hoong determined that the Section 165 charges across both sets of charges were "legally identical".
He noted that Mr Singh confirmed that Iswaran's state of mind across both sets was also "materially similar".
That both sets of charges involve different givers, items received or witnesses did not indicate that they were factually dissimilar, the judge said, adding that the court was concerned with a wider similarity.
"For completeness, if I have to consider the prejudice that would be occasioned to (Iswaran with a separate trial), I would find that (he) raised reasonable concerns, including time, expense, and pressure with two separate trials which would inevitably arise," Justice Hoong.
Leaving court more than seven hours after the start of his hearing, Iswaran told a media scrum, "Thank you for coming everyone, sorry it's been a very long day."
He declined to comment on the outcome of his hearing.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/iswaran-did-not-know-gifts-ong-beng-seng-lum-kok-seng-veiled-gratification-4318951
https://gutzy.asia/2024/03/25/t315-contract-named-in-iswarans-case-was-awarded-to-lum-changs-subsidiary-in-2016
Iswaran faces 8 new charges over obtaining $19k in items including Brompton bike, golf clubs
SINGAPORE – Former transport minister S. Iswaran was handed eight new charges in court on March 25.
These are under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence for public servants to accept gifts from someone involved with them in an official capacity.
When asked by District Judge Brenda Tan, Iswaran – who now faces 35 charges in total – said he pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.
On March 25, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that Iswaran had allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuables with a total value of about $18,956.94 from a Lum Kok Seng.
Iswaran had allegedly known him to be involved in business that had a connection with his official function as minister for transport.
These alleged offences were committed between November 2021 and November 2022.
According to charge sheets, the items include bottles of whisky, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle that cost $7,907.50.
The business transacted involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for addition and alteration works to Tanah Merah MRT station and existing viaducts.
The website of Lum Chang, a property management, interior design and construction firm, lists Mr Lum as its managing director.
The firm’s construction arm, Lum Chang Building Contractors, has taken on multibillion-dollar civil, building and infrastructural projects in Singapore, including being the main contractor for Bukit Panjang MRT station along the Downtown Line.
An LTA spokesperson said on March 25 that the statutory board has two ongoing projects with Lum Chang Building Contractors, including the one at Tanah Merah station that was awarded in October 2016.
The other one is the construction of the North-South Corridor tunnel between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 9 that was awarded in December 2018.
“LTA has not awarded any contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors since 2019,” the spokesperson added.
An Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) spokesperson said it will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Mr Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Lum Chang spokesperson pointed to a statement by its board of directors issued to employees on March 25.
The statement said the board is aware that Mr Lum and Lum Chang Building Contractors were mentioned in media reports involving Iswaran and will make an announcement when there are material developments in the case.
Iswaran arrived in court on March 25 at about 8.20am with members of his legal team from Davinder Singh Chambers.
Speaking to the media gathered outside the court, he said: “Sorry you all had to get up so early this morning.”
As he walked towards the court trailed by members of the media, one of them tripped and fell. Iswaran helped him pick up his belongings.
Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng told the court that the purpose of the March 25 hearing was to tender eight additional charges against Iswaran and transmit the new charges to the High Court.
Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of Iswaran’s lawyers, questioned why the new charges were tendered only now, and if the prosecution intended to file more charges against his client.
Mr Thevar said the prosecution recorded 36 cautioned statements from Iswaran in January 2024 but handed the former minister only 27 charges at his first court hearing on Jan 18.
“The eight new charges today were not part of the 36 (cautioned statements),” the defence lawyer added.
A cautioned statement sets out a notice for an accused person to provide his defence in response to an offence he is being charged with.
Mr Thevar added that the eight new charges related to matters that the CPIB had questioned Iswaran over in July and August 2023.
He said: “On March 16, three days before the criminal case disclosure conference (CCDC) at the High Court, CPIB called my client in and he was served eight new charges.”
During a CCDC, the prosecution and the defence disclose information about the case to facilitate the trial process.
Mr Thevar added: “When Mr Iswaran asked CPIB when the charges would be brought in court, he was told a decision had not been made.”
Chief Prosecutor Tan said in response that all charges tendered against Iswaran were based on evidence uncovered by CPIB and they had been reviewed by the AGC.
More at https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/iswaran-returns-to-state-courts-on-march-25-about-10-weeks-after-he-was-first-charged
Iswaran allowed to leave S’pore to help son settle in at Australia uni; case transferred to High Court
SINGAPORE - Former transport minister S. Iswaran has been granted permission to leave Singapore to settle his son into university in Australia, three weeks after he was handed 27 charges, which he pleaded not guilty to.
On Feb 8, Iswaran, who is out on $800,000 bail, turned up at the State Courts at around 2.30pm to make an application to leave jurisdiction from Feb 16 to March 4.
The prosecution imposed several conditions to this application, including a cash bail of $500,000. Iswaran must also provide his itinerary and his address overseas to the investigation officer (IO) and remain contactable by the IO.
He must also surrender his travel documents within 24 hours of his return to Singapore.
Iswaran’s bailor, who was identified in court as Mr Ng, agreed to those conditions before the judge.
When The Straits Times approached him after the hearing to ask what his relation to Iswaran is, Mr Ng did not respond and walked away.
Iswaran’s case will also be transferred to the High Court, with the prosecution saying this was due to the strong public interest in this case.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue and Deputy Public Prosecutor Kelvin Chong did not elaborate on this. Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng, who leads the prosecution team in this case, was not present in court.
Senior Counsel Davinder Singh from Davinder Singh Chambers, who is leading the defence team for Iswaran, was also not in court.
Defence lawyer Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar requested an early trial for his client so the “evidence can be fully aired and the matter decided as soon as possible”.
Mr Thevar said he wrote to the prosecution in January to indicate Iswaran’s request for an early trial, and agreed that this matter should be heard in the High Court.
The defence lawyer then sought the prosecution’s agreement to an early trial, adding that this should be possible, as the authorities have “had a long time to investigate this matter”.
In response, Mr Jiang said the judge’s schedule in the High Court should be taken into consideration for this, and that this matter can be addressed when a case conference is called.
All 27 charges Iswaran faces were re-read to him on Feb 8, as required when a case is transferred to the High Court.
A criminal case disclosure conference for the case will be held in the High Court on March 22.
Iswaran is accused of 24 counts of obtaining, as a minister, items with a total value of more than $200,000 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Mr Ong is the man who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
These items include tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix (GP), football matches in Britain and musicals.
Several of the charges were related to alleged incidents that happened between 2015 and 2021, and involved him allegedly obtaining tickets to a football match between West Ham United and Everton and to shows such as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
He also faces a charge of obstructing the course of justice on or about May 25, 2023.
According to court documents, he had allegedly made repayment of $5,700 – the cost of his business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore that he had taken on Dec 11, 2022, at Mr Ong’s expense – through Singapore GP.
Iswaran was arrested in July 2023 by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) following its investigation into a separate matter. Mr Ong was also arrested that month as part of the corruption probe.
Following his court appearance on Jan 18, Iswaran issued a statement stating his innocence and said he will focus on clearing his name.
Iswaran was elected in 1997 as an MP for West Coast GRC, where he has served for the last 26 years.
He was promoted to full minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in 2011.
Iswaran resigned from the People’s Action Party in January and stepped down as transport minister and West Coast GRC MP.
For each corruption charge, he can be fined up to $100,000, jailed for up to seven years, or both.
He can be fined, jailed for up to two years or both, for obtaining valuable items from someone he had business dealings with as a public servant.
For obstructing the course of justice, he can be jailed for up to seven years, fined or both.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/iswaran-can-leave-s-pore-to-help-son-settle-in-at-australia-university-case-transferred-to-high-court
Singapore Minister’s Legal Woes Sink Storied Political Career
S. Iswaran, the Singapore transport minister who resigned after facing graft charges, was in public service for more than a quarter of a century. It took just months for his storied career to unravel.
The 61-year-old Iswaran — who helped bring Formula 1 racing to Singapore and represented the city-state at the World Economic Forum — was charged Thursday with two counts of corruption, 24 counts of obtaining “valuable things” from someone he had business dealings with as a public servant, and one for obstructing justice.
He said he’s innocent. He tendered his resignation earlier this week to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who accepted it on Wednesday.
“I reject the allegations in the charges and will now focus on clearing my name,” Iswaran said in a letter to Lee on Jan. 16.
“Given the circumstances, I feel it is right for me to resign from Cabinet, as a member of parliament and as a member” of the ruling People’s Action Party, he said.
Iswaran’s resignation is the end of a high-flying government career that had seen him in leadership positions in at least five ministries, including key ones such as trade, a sector vital to the city-state’s survival.
His downfall marks a low point for Singapore, which prides itself on a reputation for clean governance and business-friendly policies. The People’s Action Party, whose distinct white uniforms are meant to signify its politicians’ incorruptibility, has ruled the island since the country’s independence in 1965.
“I am disappointed and saddened that you are leaving politics in these circumstances,” Lee wrote in reply to Iswaran. “But it is essential that I deal with such matters rigorously in accordance with the law. It is the right thing to do.”
Iswaran had held the role of transport minister since May 2021, and was concurrently the minister-in-charge of trade relations, representing Singapore at global meetings such as the WEF in Davos and those by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Tasked by Lee for almost a decade to deliver the annual National Day speech in Tamil — one of Singapore’s four official languages — it was the premier himself who announced in July the anti-corruption agency’s probe into Iswaran. Lee later said Iswaran had been blocked from access to official resources and government buildings, the same corridors he had roamed since first winning a seat in parliament in 1997.
Tough Times
The Iswaran scandal is taking place at a particularly sensitive time, with the country preparing for a leadership change this year when Lee is expected to hand power over to his deputy, Lawrence Wong.
Iswaran’s arrest in July 2023 added to a difficult few months for the PAP, with voters’ trust already shaken by the poor optics of two ministers renting state-owned colonial mansions. They were later cleared of wrongdoing in a government review. In mid-July, speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin — once seen by observers as a prime ministerial candidate — resigned after an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker.
Singapore’s ministers are among the world’s best-paid, earning about S$1.1 million ($820,000) a year, according to the Public Service Division. The city-state is ranked as the fifth-least corrupt country in the world, according to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, trailing Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Norway.
Iswaran was alleged to have improperly obtained tickets to watch musicals and soccer matches in the UK over a period of years from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Iswaran was also charged with obtaining dozens of tickets to the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix race over several years from Ong.
A spokesman for Ong declined to comment about the case.
Career Journey
Iswaran started his public service journey in 1987 in the home affairs and education ministries before he was seconded to the National Trades Union Congress, an umbrella labor movement with ties to the government. He was the first chief executive officer of the Singapore Indian Development Association, a government-approved body aimed at boosting the socio-economic status of the local Indian community.
He was director for international trade in the lead up to Singapore’s hosting of the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference in 1996. Later, he was managing director at state-owned investor Temasek Holdings, where he carried out investment, takeover, buy-out and merger transactions in the pharmaceuticals, biotech, high-tech manufacturing, transport and logistics sectors.
Iswaran’s working relationship with Ong predated the 2008 arrival of F1’s night race in Singapore. When he was managing director at Temasek in the early 2000s, the state investor backed Ong’s bid for NatSteel Ltd., Singapore’s biggest steelmaker.
The tycoon won control of the steelmaker in 2003 through one of his entities known as 98 Holdings Ltd., which listed Iswaran as a director on behalf of Temasek. The state investor unloaded its stake in Ong’s firm in 2004. In 2022, a consortium led by Ong, together with units of Temasek, acquired a media and property company in the city-state.
Easy Camaraderie
Iswaran boasted an easy camaraderie publicly with legislative and ministerial colleagues. He was often seen chatting with peers as they left the parliament floor, where he has a seat in the front row as a minister.
As is typical with many Singapore politicians, Iswaran’s family is rarely in the limelight. He met his wife when they were both in their late teens and studying at the University of Adelaide, she said in an interview with India Se magazine in 2019. He read economics there, and later earned a masters in public administration from Harvard University.
His wife is listed as chairwoman of a non-profit organization which helps students from low-income families when there is a crisis. They have three children who are now around their early 20s, according to the 2019 interview.
His Instagram feed over eight years featured mainly his interactions with constituents on his walkabouts and at community events, cycling around the island, hosting visiting politicians from overseas and his travels for work. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made some appearances, as did other politicians from the South Asian country. One post was a picture of Iswaran, his son and soccer star David Beckham.
Famous Friends
In the early months of Covid-19, Iswaran reached out to Indian celebrities including actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and musician A.R. Rahman to send messages of support to the local migrant worker community who weren’t allowed to leave their dorms.
The transport portfolio he oversaw is one of the most challenging in the Cabinet. The ills of subway breakdowns, a shortage of taxis or complaints about ride-hailing platforms and high car prices are shared on social media quickly and widely, with blame directed at the government.
In announcing a 2021 Cabinet reshuffle, Lee praised Iswaran’s work in his prior role as communications and information minister, saying he had “helped us understand and respond to citizens’ views and concerns.”
Iswaran made reviving aviation a priority after the pandemic devastated the travel industry. The national carrier had cut thousands of jobs during Covid-19 and was forced to raise billions of dollars to survive.
As the nation gradually reopened its borders and allowed more freedoms domestically with the easing of the pandemic, Iswaran said in January 2022 that Singapore would continue to host the F1 race for another seven years after “thoroughly evaluating the long term benefits that a term extension could bring.”
Lee wrote to Iswaran on Wednesday that the integrity of the ruling party and government must be upheld.
“Singaporeans expect no less,” he said.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-18/s-iswaran-s-fall-after-corruption-charges-comes-at-crucial-time-for-singapore
ADIOS MUCHACHOS👋
JUST IN.
CPIB completes investigation on Iswaran, case pending AGC review
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau's (CPIB) investigation into Minister for Transport S. Iswaran has been completed and is currently being reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers, said Minister Chan Chun Sing, on behalf of the Prime Minister.
In a written response to Progress Singapore Party's Hazel Poa's parliamentary question asking for an update on the CPIB's investigation of Iswaran, Chan said that he understands there is much public interest in the matter.
"I want to give my assurance that this case will be put through the due legal process," he added, stating that the CPIB has completed a "robust and thorough investigation".
"The matter is currently being reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers. It would, therefore, not be appropriate to comment on the matter at this juncture," he added.
CPIB investigating Iswaran since May 2023
CPIB came across information on Iswaran during another investigation.
This started a quiet investigation in May 2023, and PM Lee was alerted to it on May 29, 2023.
On Jul. 5, CPIB told PM Lee that they had attained adequate information to launch a formal investigation into Iswaran. PM Lee gave the director of CPIB his concurrence to launch a formal investigation.
Iswaran was subsequently arrested by CPIB on Jul. 11 and released on bail.
He was arrested on the same day as billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng.
PM Lee instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until CPIB's investigations are completed.
Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat is currently the Acting Minister for Transport.
PM Lee said that Iswaran does not have access to any official resources and government buildings during his leave of absence.
He is also to remain in Singapore while investigations are ongoing.
CPIB stated that it is unable to provide further details about the case while investigations are ongoing.
Look who showed up at Sri Mariamman Temple
Apparently Iswaran still features on PAP's West Coast GRC banners - does that mean he is in the clear?