SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S Iswaran has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and receiving more than USD 300,000 worth of gifts, in a ruling handed down by presiding judge Vincent Hoong.
The verdict marks a significant moment in Singapore’s political history, being the first corruption-related case involving a cabinet minister in nearly 50 years.
Iswaran, 62, a former cabinet member for 13 years who held the trade, communications, and transport portfolios, pleaded guilty last week to four counts of improperly receiving gifts and one of obstructing justice.
The prosecution had sought a six-to-seven-month sentence, but Judge Hoong ruled this as “manifestly inadequate,” citing the severity of Iswaran’s offences and the potential impact on public trust in government institutions.
The defense had sought a jail term of eight weeks.
“Trust and confidence in public institutions are the bedrock of effective governance, which could all too easily be undermined by the appearance that an individual public servant had fallen below the standards of integrity and accountability,” Judge Hoong stated during sentencing.
He also emphasized that the seriousness of the charges warranted a stronger penalty due to the higher level of culpability when a high-ranking public official is involved.
The judge has allowed Iswaran to remain on bail for the next few days, with his jail term set to commence on Monday.
Iswaran was arrested in July last year following an investigation into allegations of receiving expensive gifts from businessmen, including property tycoon Ong Beng Seng.
The investigation revealed that while serving as transport minister, Iswaran accepted items such as tickets to English Premier League football matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals, and a private jet ride. The value of these gifts totalled more than 400,000 Singapore dollars (USD 308,880), according to the prosecution.
Iswaran initially proclaimed his innocence and stated he would fight the charges. However, he changed his stance last week, pleading guilty to five charges, which were amended from an initial 35 counts. Two of these charges were initially corruption-related but were modified to receiving gifts while serving as a public servant.
The attorney general’s chambers cited “litigation risks” involved in proving the corruption charges as the reason for the amendments.
Ong, who was named in the case due to his business ties with the Singapore Grand Prix and his interactions with Iswaran, has not been charged with any offences. He has not commented publicly on the case.
The attorney general’s chambers noted that a decision on whether to take action against Ong would be made soon.
This case represents the first political corruption trial involving a cabinet minister in Singapore since 1975, when then-minister Wee Toon Boon was convicted and jailed for accepting gifts in exchange for assisting a businessperson.
Another cabinet minister was investigated for bribery in 1986, but no charges were filed as he passed away before legal proceedings could begin.