SINGAPORE: In Singapore news today, former transport Minister S Iswaran faced eight new charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which disallows public servants from obtaining valuable items from an individual with whom they have official dealings.
Mr Iswaran was in court yesterday (March 25) to receive the new charges. In January, he was slapped with 27 charges, including corruption.
The former minister allegedly received S$18,956.94 worth of valuable items from Mr Lum Kok Seng, the managing director of Lum Chang Holdings.
They include bottles of liquor, golf clubs, and a bicycle worth almost S$8000, all of which Mr Iswaran is said to have received between November 2021 and November 2022.
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) has called Mr Lum in for several interviews regarding its investigation into Mr Iswaran. No charges have been filed against Mr Lum, nor have any restrictions been placed on him.
In an article on March 26, CNA reported on a bourse filing from Monday night from Lum Chang Holdings, which was in response to questions from the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
“The board and the nominating committee have assessed the above and have determined that Mr Lum continues to be suitable to carry out his duties and responsibilities as managing director of the company unless there are subsequent developments which require the board and the nominating committee to make a re-assessment,” the company said.
Here is the list of the items Mr Iswaran is said to have received from Mr Lum:
- 8 bottles of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whisky S$2,168.92
- 3 bottles of L’Evangile 2014 wine S$394.20
- 3 bottles of Pauillac De Latour 2015 wine for S$186.31
- 3 bottles of Albert Bichot Domaine du Clos Frantin Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 wine S$1,177
- 3 bottles of Pichon Lalande 2010 wine S$956
- 2 bottles of M&H Elements Sherry Cask whisky S$198
- 1 TaylorMade golf driver S$749
- 1 Honma Beres BE-08 Black AQ MX golf clubs S$4,420
- 1 Scotty Cameron Phantom golf putter S$600
- 2 golf chippers, S$200 each
- 1 Brompton T Line bicycle S$7,908
The case against Mr Iswaran
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on July 12, 2023, that he instructed the then Transport Minister to take a leave of absence while the latter assists in investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
He said that the Director of the CPIB had briefed him on July 5 regarding a case the Bureau had uncovered. CPIB had sought his concurrence to open a formal investigation that would include an interview with Mr Iswaran and others.
The former minister and billionaire businessman Ong Beng were arrested on Jul 11 in connection to the case, and both men are assisting in the probe and are out on bail.
In January, Mr Iswaran was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with one charge of obstruction of justice, and 24 charges of obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant related to having allegedly accepted from Mr Ong Beng Seng “valuable things” worth more than S$384,000 between November 2015 and December 2022. /TISG
Read also: Ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran is back in Singapore; he handed over his passport