KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia. Former Singaporean Transport Minister S. Iswaran was sentenced to one year in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to charges related to receiving illegal gifts, marking a rare criminal case involving a high-ranking official in the city-state.
Iswaran, who had pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice and four counts of accepting gifts from individuals with whom he had official business dealings, is the first Singaporean minister to be sentenced and jailed in nearly 50 years. The court ruled that his actions undermined the trust and integrity expected of those in high office.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Vincent Hoong emphasized the need for government officials to uphold strict ethical standards. “Holders of high office must be expected to avoid any perception that they are susceptible to influence by pecuniary benefits,” Hoong said, adding that the sentence imposed should exceed both the defense and prosecution’s requests.
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months in total for the five charges. While the defense sought a sentence of no more than eight weeks, the prosecution had pushed for a prison term of six to seven months. His request to delay the start of his sentence was granted, and he remains out on bail until Monday, according to Channel News Asia. It is unclear whether he will appeal the decision.
The former minister was originally charged with 35 counts, but prosecutors decided to move forward with only five, reducing two corruption charges to charges of receiving illegal gifts. Prosecutors have indicated that the remaining 30 charges may be taken into consideration for sentencing, though no explanation was provided for the reduction in charges.
Iswaran received over 74,000 Singapore dollars (USD 57,000) in gifts from prominent figures including Ong Beng Seng, a Malaysian property tycoon based in Singapore, and businessperson Lum Kok Seng. The gifts, which included Formula 1 race tickets, wine, whisky, and a luxury Brompton bicycle, were connected to Iswaran’s role as chair of and later adviser to Singapore’s Grand Prix steering committee. Ong Beng Seng holds the rights to the local F1 race.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has stated it will decide whether to bring charges against Ong and Lum after the conclusion of Iswaran’s case.
Despite the relatively small amount of money involved in the case, Iswaran’s conviction has proven to be a major embarrassment for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has long prided itself on its clean and transparent governance. Singapore consistently ranks among the world’s top five least corrupt nations, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
The last Singaporean Cabinet minister to face corruption charges was Wee Toon Boon in 1975, who was sentenced to prison for accepting gifts in exchange for aiding a businessman. Another minister was investigated in 1986 but died before any charges could be filed.
Iswaran’s case comes just four months after Singapore’s new Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, took office following the 20-year tenure of Lee Hsien Loong. The PAP will be keen to maintain its clean image as the new government navigates this high-profile case.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
