S. Iswaran, Singapore’s transport minister, leaves the Singapore State Courts in Singapore, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. Iswaran was charged with corruption, the latest development in the biggest political scandal to hit the city state in close to four decades. Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Singapore’s former transport minister S Iswaran has been handed 27 charges following a months long probe by the country’s anti graft agency.
The minister resigned two days ago, according to a statement from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
On Thursday, Iswaran was handed 24 charges of obtaining gratification as a public servant, two charges of corruption and one charge of obstructing the course of justice.
He pleaded not guilty.
Iswaran has been accused of obtaining tickets from billionaire Ong Beng Seng to the Singapore Grand Prix, soccer matches and shows in the UK. These include general admission tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix in 2019 worth 42,265 Singapore dollars, or about $31,000.
Ong was credited with bringing Formula 1 to Singapore in 2008. In 2022, his privately owned firm Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board secured the rights to host the Singapore Grand Prix until 2028.
Iswaran was the first cabinet minister in Singapore to be charged for corruption in the country and the first to be investigated since 1986, when then Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan was probed for corruption. Teh committed suicide before he could be formally charged in court.
On Jan. 9, Singapore’s education minister Chan Chun Sing said in a parliamentary reply that a probe by Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had been completed and the case was being reviewed by the country’s Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Iswaran was arrested by CPIB on July 11, following the corruption bureau’s investigation into a separate matter. He was later interdicted from duty, and his salary reduced.
Lee also instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until investigations were completed. Lee pledged to uphold “zero tolerance” toward any wrongdoing by government officials.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.