Singapore, among least corrupt nations, jails ex-minister S. Iswaran for first time in last 50 years.  Iswaran, a former transport minister of Indian descent in Singapore, has been given a 12-month prison term by the High Court for accepting gifts worth around SGD 403,300 from two businessmen. The 62-year-old politician admitted guilt to four charges of accepting gifts and one charge of obstructing justice on September 24, cutting short a trial that was supposed to be long with 56 prosecution witnesses.

Why Iswaran was handed a one-year jail sentence?

Justice Vincent Hoong delivered the sentence after considering arguments from both the prosecution and defense, but ultimately couldn't agree with either side. In his sentencing comments, Justice Hoong emphasized the importance of trust and confidence in public institutions for successful governance. The judge pointed out that Iswaran had abused his power by receiving gifts amounting to approximately SGD 403,300 (USD 313,200). He said that a public servant who lacks integrity and accountability can easily undermine all of this.

Justice Hoong emphasized that Iswaran's public rejection of the accusations raised worries about his regret. The judge highlighted that Iswaran had claimed his innocence in various statements, such as a letter to the Prime Minister, stating he was wrongly accused and hoped to be found not guilty. While Justice Hoong spoke to the court, Iswaran seemed quiet, jotting down notes as the events progressed. The judge also stated, "The greater the position held by the perpetrator as a government official, the greater their level of guilt."

Iswaran's chief lawyer, Davinder Singh, asked for a sentence of up to eight weeks, while Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong suggested a period of six to seven months. Justice Hoong commented that he believed it was suitable to give a sentence that was greater than what both parties suggested, as following either party's recommendations would lead to an "obviously insufficient sentence."

The judge recognized aggravating aspects, such as the length of Iswaran's wrongdoing, his senior position, and the harmful effect on public trust and interest. The sentencing was issued over a year after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) first revealed their investigation and 10 months after Iswaran was formally charged.

Accepting gifts as a minister is a crime

Iswaran, a long-time politician from the ruling People's Action Party, stepped down from his ministerial role in January and chose to give back SGD 380,305.95 to the state the day before his trial started. This action, referred to as disgorgement, requires handing over unlawfully acquired assets and is different from restitution. The authorities seized gifts from Iswaran, which included bottles of whisky and wine, golf clubs, and a Brompton bicycle. Between November 2015 and December 2022, Iswaran accepted various valuable items, such as tickets to musical events, football matches, and the Formula 1 race from Ong Beng Seng, a majority shareholder of Singapore GP, along with alcohol from construction mogul Lum Kok Seng.

These exchanges occurred while Iswaran held official responsibilities connected to both men, the prosecution argued. Notably, Lum’s company, Lum Chang Building Contractors, secured a SGD 325 million contract with the Land Transport Authority in 2016 for work on the Tanah Merah MRT Station and its viaducts.

First Case to be tried in court in the past 50 years

Iswaran became the transport minister in May 2021. Ong Beng Seng, an hotelier, was involved in two facilitation agreements between the Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) related to the annual Formula 1 race, over which Iswaran served as chairman of the F1 Steering Committee, a government entity overseeing the race as a national project.

From October 2015 to April 2018, he served as the Minister for Industry in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, overseeing the STB, and then took on the role of minister handling trade relations from May 2018 until he resigned in January 2024.

The prosecution admitted that Iswaran did not have any impact on decisions related to Lum's company contract and pointed out that there is no proof indicating the F1 contracts harmed the government. The inquiry came to light in May 2023 during a CPIB investigation on Ong's associates, revealing a flight list for a trip on Ong's personal aircraft. Iswaran was aboard the SGD 10,410 flight from Singapore to Doha on December 10, 2022. Singapore GP followed Ong's directions and covered the expenses for his journey, which involved a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha and a return flight.

Iswaran failed to inform the government about the trip and requested immediate personal leave in order to accompany Ong as his guest. Upon hearing about the CPIB's probe, Ong informed Iswaran, who then asked Singapore GP to invoice him for the costs of the journey, eventually settling the bill of SGD 5,700 for the round-trip flight. This series of occurrences makes up the accusation of obstructing justice.