Iswaran, a former senior politician in Singapore, faced new charges in a corruption case alleging that he received gifts from a contractor dealing with the government. The gifts included bottles of whisky, wine, golf clubs, and a luxury Brompton bike. The total charges against him now stand at 35, including graft charges, receiving gifts as a public servant, and obstructing justice. Iswaran pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were worth nearly 19,000 Singapore dollars.
The contractor involved in the case, Lum Kok Seng, is the managing director of Lum Chang Holdings, which has contracts with the government. While the contracts were awarded before Iswaran became transport minister in 2021, he was allegedly aware of Lum’s business dealings with his ministry. The Attorney-General’s Chambers will decide on charging Lum after Iswaran’s trial is completed and based on the evidence presented in court. Iswaran resigned in January before being charged.
Iswaran was also accused of receiving gifts worth nearly SG$385,000 from Malaysian property tycoon Ong Beng Seng between 2015 and 2022. These gifts included tickets for Singapore’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, football matches, and musicals in the U.K. Ong, who owns the rights to the local F1 race, sought Iswaran’s help in advancing his business interests. The AGC will decide on taking action against Ong after the trial is concluded.
The case involving Iswaran has highlighted the issue of corruption within Singapore’s government, known for its clean image. Despite the relatively minor amount involved in the gifts, the indictment of a former high-ranking official like Iswaran is seen as an embarrassment to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s ruling party. This is not the first corruption case involving a Cabinet minister in Singapore, with another minister being investigated in 1986 but passing away before charges were filed.
Singaporean ministers are amongst the highest-paid in the world, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and corruption. Prime Minister Lee has emphasized that Iswaran’s case has been dealt with vigorously according to the law. The outcome of Iswaran’s trial and potential actions against other individuals involved will be closely watched to see the impact on Singapore’s political landscape and efforts to combat corruption within the government.
