SINGAPORE: Former Transport Minister S Iswaran pleaded guilty on Tuesday (24 Sept) to five charges, including receiving gifts as a public servant and obstruction of justice. The 62-year-old initially denied any wrongdoing when he was first charged earlier this year.
Originally facing 35 charges, he maintained his innocence and expressed confidence in clearing his name. However, at the start of his trial, prosecutors reduced the charges to five, to which Iswaran entered a guilty plea.
The amended charges include four counts of receiving valuable gifts from local businessmen and one count of obstructing justice. While 30 other charges remain, they will be considered during sentencing.
Prosecutors have called for a jail sentence of six to seven months, while Iswaran’s defence team has argued for a reduced term of no more than eight weeks.
The total value of the gifts Iswaran is accused of receiving is S$403,297.92.
These gifts, provided by two prominent local businessmen, allegedly included tickets to prestigious events such as English Premier League football matches, Formula One races, and popular stage productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Hamilton.
Additionally, Iswaran is said to have accepted a business-class flight from Doha to Singapore in 2022.
One of the businessmen involved, Ong Beng Seng, a well-known property tycoon and founder of Hotel Properties Limited, is believed to have provided some gifts to further his business interests. However, Ong has not been charged in connection with the case.
The high-profile corruption trial has drawn particular attention due to its rarity in Singapore, where the last case involving a government minister occurred in 1986.
Singapore has long maintained a reputation as one of the least corrupt nations globally, with government officials earning some of the highest salaries in the world — approximately S$1 million per year — to deter unethical behaviour.
The timing of Iswaran’s trial is also significant for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore since its independence in 1965.
With general elections scheduled for 2025, the PAP faces increasing public scrutiny following a series of recent controversies, including the current case as well as an unrelated extramarital affair scandal.
Iswaran resigned from his ministerial post earlier this year following the charges. He has also committed to returning the salary and allowances he received during the investigation, which began in July 2023.
As Singapore prepares for its upcoming elections, the ruling party and the broader political landscape face the challenge of restoring public confidence in the nation’s institutions, a task perhaps made more difficult by Iswaran’s guilty plea and the revelations surrounding his case.