A rare event in Singapore when a former minister was accused of corruption

Former Minister of Transport Singapore S Iswaran is on trial in connection with an alleged corruption case. The incident of public officials being tried in corruption cases is something that is rare in Singapore.

Reported by AFP, Tuesday (24/9/2024), the trial was the first trial in more than four decades of a public official suspected of corruption in Singapore. Singapore is known to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

He arrived at the Supreme Court of Singapore on Tuesday (24/9) morning local time using a white SUV. Iswaran refused to answer questions and only said “good morning” to journalists gathered outside the court building.

The Iswaran trial is considered by observers to be one of the most important political trials in Singapore’s history. The case also threatens to damage the reputation of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Iswaran’s ruling party, ahead of the elections scheduled for November next year.

35 charges

Iswaran, 62, faces a total of 35 corruption-related charges – with charges relating to government contracts carrying a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. He was also charged with one count of obstruction of justice.

Among other allegations, Iswaran allegedly received gifts from two businessmen worth more than US$300,000 (Rp. 4.5 billion).

The prizes include tickets to famous sporting events and stage performances from Malaysian hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, who is one of Singapore’s richest men.

Ong, who is the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, was arrested on the same day as Iswaran in 2023, but has not faced any punishment since.

In this case, Iswaran is also accused of receiving bottles of whiskey and golf clubs from a senior director of a construction company, who has not been charged with any legal offence.

Most of the charges against Iswaran were based on a long-standing criminal law, which says it is a violation of the law for civil servants to receive valuables from figures who own they cooperate.

Iswaran’s lawyer said that the businessmen who gave the gifts were close friends of his clients, so that his clients could receive the gifts in their personal capacity.

Next: Iswaran pleads not guilty.