Singapore's Indian-origin former transport minister S Iswaran jailed in landmark case

PTC Web Desk: Singapore's Indian-origin former transport minister S Iswaran has been sentenced to 12 months in jail by the High Court on Thursday for receiving gifts valued at approximately SGD 403,300 over a span of seven years from two businessmen he regarded as friends.

The 62-year-old politician pleaded guilty to four charges related to accepting gifts and one charge of obstructing justice on September 24, the first day of trial proceedings, thereby truncating what was expected to be a lengthy trial featuring 56 prosecution witnesses.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Vincent Hoong indicated that he considered the arguments from both the prosecution and defense but ultimately found himself unable to align with either party's stance. During the sentencing remarks, Justice Hoong stressed that trust and confidence in public institutions are fundamental to effective governance.

The judge noted that Iswaran had misused his position to accept gifts totaling about SGD 403,300 (USD 313,200). He stated, “This can all too easily be undermined by a public servant who falls below standards of integrity and accountability.”

Justice Hoong highlighted that Iswaran’s public denial of the charges raised concerns regarding his remorse. The judge pointed out that Iswaran had made statements asserting his innocence, including a letter to the Prime Minister, where he maintained that he was falsely accused and expected to be acquitted. As Justice Hoong addressed the court, Iswaran appeared subdued, taking notes as the proceedings unfolded.

The judge further said, “The higher the office held by the offender as a public servant, the higher his level of culpability.” He remarked that individuals in such positions should exemplify high standards of integrity and must avoid any appearance of being susceptible to financial influences.

Iswaran's lead attorney, Davinder Singh, had requested a maximum sentence of no more than eight weeks, while Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong proposed a term of six to seven months. Justice Hoong remarked that he found it appropriate to impose a sentence that exceeded both parties' recommendations, suggesting that adopting either side's submissions would result in a “manifestly inadequate sentence.”

The judge acknowledged aggravating factors, including the duration of Iswaran's misconduct, the high-ranking office he held, and the detrimental impact on public trust and interest.

Following the sentencing, Iswaran’s legal team requested that his jail term be deferred until October 7 and for him to surrender at the State Courts at 4 pm that day, according to Channel News Asia. However, the judge indicated that this would depend on whether Iswaran wished to appeal.

This sentencing comes more than a year after the investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) was first disclosed and 10 months after Iswaran was initially charged.

A veteran politician from the ruling People’s Action Party, Iswaran resigned from his ministerial position in January and voluntarily returned SGD 380,305.95 to the state the day before his trial commenced. This process, known as disgorgement, involves surrendering illegally obtained assets and is distinct 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.

Iswaran became the transport minister in May 2021. Ong, a 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.

He also held the position of minister for industry within the Ministry of Trade and Industry from October 2015 to April 2018, with the STB operating under his purview, and was minister-in-charge of trade relations from May 2018 until his resignation in January 2024.

The prosecution conceded that Iswaran did not influence any decisions pertaining to Lum's company contract and noted that there was no evidence suggesting that the F1 contracts disadvantaged the government.

The investigation surfaced in May 2023 when the CPIB was looking into a separate matter involving Ong’s associates and discovered a flight manifest for an outbound flight on Ong's private jet. Iswaran was on that flight, worth SGD 10,410, from Singapore to Doha on December 10, 2022. His trip, including a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha and a return flight, was paid for by Singapore GP on Ong's instructions.

Iswaran did not report the trip to the government and sought urgent personal leave to accept Ong's invitation to join him as his guest. After Ong learned of the CPIB's investigation, he alerted Iswaran, who subsequently requested that Singapore GP bill him for the trip's expenses, later paying SGD 5,700 for the return flight. This sequence of events constitutes the charge of obstructing justice.