SINGAPORE (CNA) – Former Singaporean Transport Minister S Iswaran, who is facing various charges, including corruption, has been given permission to travel to Australia for approximately two weeks, under certain bail conditions.
Yesterday, the 61-year-old appeared in court to hear the judge’s ruling on his request to travel, which comes three weeks after he was accused of 27 charges connected to his dealings with property magnate Ong Beng Seng.
Iswaran was given permission to leave for Australia between February 16 and March 4 to help his son settle into university.
The prosecution had no objections as long as Iswaran adhered to additional bail conditions – including an extra bail sum of SGD500,000 in cash on top of his existing bail of SGD800,000.
Top guns on both sides – defence lawyer Senior Counsel Davinder Singh and Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng – were absent in court yesterday.
Their subordinates attended the hearing instead – with Navin Thevar making the application on Iswaran’s behalf, and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue responding for the prosecution.
Thevar said the defence filed the application for Iswaran to leave the country, mainly because “he needs to settle his son into university”.
He added that the defence accepts the conditions set out by the prosecution.
Apart from the additional cash bail, Iswaran is required to provide his travel itinerary and overseas address to the investigating officer (IO), as well as remain contactable by the IO at all times.
The bailor, a man with the surname Ng, said he agreed to those conditions. When approached by CNA to explain his relation to Iswaran, Ng did not respond.
District Judge Brenda Tan approved the travel application and imposed the bail conditions asked for by the prosecution.
Iswaran’s case will also be transferred to the High Court, with the prosecution citing “strong public interest considerations”. Both sides agreed on the matter.
The defence added that Iswaran wanted an early trial “so the evidence can be fully aired and the matter decided as soon as possible”.
“So now that the prosecution has indicated they will be taking the case to High Court, we are happy with that decision. We absolutely agree that this is a matter that should be heard in the High Court,” Thevar said. He then asked if the prosecution would agree for an “early trial” to be held in the High Court, saying the defence cannot see why this should not or cannot happen since investigations have taken “a long time”.
Jiang responded that this is “in consideration” and that the judge’s diary in the High Court “ought to be taken into account”. “These are matters we need not trouble your honour on, and we can address this before the High Court registry when a case conference is called,” he said.
