Former Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran has pleaded guilty to accepting gifts worth thousands of dollars while in office, with charges reduced from 25 to five as his rare corruption trial gets underway. Iswaran, who resigned in January, admitted to four charges of obtaining valuable items from individuals involved with him in an official capacity and one charge of obstruction of justice. The 62-year-old was initially charged with 35 offences but will have those taken into account for sentencing.
Iswaran, known for bringing the F1 night race to Singapore, was accused of receiving over 400,000 Singapore dollars in gifts from businessmen Ong Beng Seng and Lum Kok Seng, including tickets to shows, flights, whisky, match tickets, and a bicycle. While Iswaran paid back 380,000 Singapore dollars to the state and will forfeit the items, neither Ong nor Lum have been charged.
The last corruption case involving a minister in Singapore was in 1986 when Teh Cheang Wan was accused of accepting bribes. Teh took his own life before investigations could be completed. Meanwhile, the Iswaran case comes amid the resignation of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin over an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker who also quit.
Singapore, ranked as the world’s fifth least corrupt country, has strict rules prohibiting civil servants and officeholders from accepting gifts valued above 50 Singapore dollars in the course of their duties. Iswaran’s guilty plea underscores the commitment of Singapore to combat corruption at all levels. The sentencing for Iswaran will be closely monitored as the rare trial sheds light on the consequences of corrupt practices in a country known for its integrity and transparency.
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