A Singapore court on Thursday sentenced a former minister to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and receiving over $300,000 worth of gifts, marking the first time an ex-cabinet member has been jailed in the city-state known for its stringent governance.
S. Iswaran, who served as a cabinet member for 13 years and held portfolios in trade, communications, and transport, pleaded guilty last week to four counts of improperly receiving gifts and one count of obstructing justice. The sentence handed down was more severe than the six to seven months sought by the prosecution, a decision presiding judge Vincent Hoong deemed "manifestly inadequate" given the gravity of Iswaran's offenses and their impact on public trust.
"Trust and confidence in public institutions are the bedrock of effective governance, which can be easily undermined by the appearance that an individual public servant has fallen below the standards of integrity and accountability," Hoong stated in sentencing Iswaran.
The case has sent shockwaves through Singapore, which boasts of a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy alongside strong and transparent governance. According to Transparency International's corruption perception index, Singapore was among the world's top five least corrupt countries last year.
The investigation into Iswaran, who served as transport minister, centered on allegations that he accepted expensive gifts from businessmen, including tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals, and a ride on a private jet. The total value of these gifts exceeded S$400,000.
Iswaran, 62, faced a media frenzy upon arriving at court and declined to answer questions. He showed no emotion during the court session. The judge allowed him to remain on bail for a few more days and begin his jail term on Monday.
Initially, Iswaran declared his innocence and vowed to fight the charges, but he pleaded guilty last week to the five charges brought before the court. He faced a total of 35 charges, two of which were corruption-related but were later amended to charges of receiving gifts while serving as a public servant.
The attorney-general's chambers made these amendments due to litigation risks involved in proving the corruption charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Iswaran was arrested in July last year and accused of taking kickbacks from businessmen, including property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, who owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Ong has not been charged with any offense and has not issued any public comment on the allegations.
Judge Hoong emphasized that public servants in high offices have a higher level of culpability due to their greater influence over business transactions.
