SINGAPORE: The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) commented on the former Transport Minister S Iswaran’s extended stay overseas.
Mr Iswaran, who is facing corruption charges in court, had traveled to Melbourne to help his son settle into university. He was supposed to have returned from Australia on 4 Mar but was given a 16-day extension as he had fallen ill while abroad.
“The prosecution was informed on March 5 that Mr Iswaran had been discharged from hospital that day and that Mr Iswaran was advised by his doctor not to travel for 12 days following the discharge,” a spokesman from the AGC told The Straits Times.
Mr Iswaran had been admitted to Cabrini Malvern, a private hospital in Melbourne, due to a respiratory illness.
On Feb 8, he appeared at the State Courts to apply to be allowed to leave Singapore. The prosecution gave several conditions in allowing his departure, which included a cash bail of S$500,000.
He was also required to give the investigation officer his itinerary and address in Australia and stay contactable. Mr Iswaran is required to hand in his travel documents within 24 hours of his return.
Read also: Iswaran allowed to leave Singapore to help his son settle in at Australian university
On Jan 18, Mr Iswaran was slapped with 27 charges, including corruption charges. He has maintained his innocence and says that he will clear his name.
Having been placed on leave for the second half of 2023, he also told Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a letter of his decision to return the salary and MP allowance during that time since he had been unable to fulfil his duties.
Mr Iswaran added that he would not endeavour to reverse this decision should he be acquitted.
He is currently out on S$800,000 bail.
ST added on Feb 8 that Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of the lawyers representing Mr Iswaran, has asked for an early trial for him so that “evidence can be fully aired and the matter decided as soon as possible”.
On March 22, a criminal case disclosure conference for his case will be held in the High Court.
The former minister faces two charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, one charge of obstruction of justice, and 24 charges of obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant related to having allegedly accepted from billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng “valuable things” worth more than S$384,000 between November 2015 and December 2022. /TISG
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