SINGAPORE (Bernama) — Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran was charged in court on Thursday (Jan 18) with multiple offences including corruption and obtaining valuables as a public servant, according to a local news outlet.
The report said he pleaded not guilty to 27 charges in all – two of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, one of obstructing justice, and 24 of obtaining valuables as a public servant under the Penal Code.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, said the report.
The first corruption charge alleges that Iswaran, in his capacity as a government minister, corruptly obtained gratification totalling SGD145,434 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng.
This was in exchange for advancing the latter’s business interests relating to a contract between Singapore Grand Prix (GP) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Ong owns the rights to the Singapore GP and is chairman of race promoter Singapore GP, said the report.
The news outlet reported that Iswaran is accused of corruptly obtaining 10 Green Room tickets, eight tickets named “Twenty3” and 32 general admission tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix in September 2022.
These were worth about SGD48,150, SGD56,068 and SGD41,216 respectively.
The second corruption charge states that Iswaran corruptly obtained from Ong in December 2022 gratification in exchange for advancing his business interests over a contract with a public body over the Singapore GP-STB facilitation agreement, as well as a proposal for a contract with STB to establish the ABBA Voyage virtual concert in Singapore.
Iswaran was also handed one count of obstructing justice by making a repayment of SGD5,700 to Singapore GP around May 25, 2023.
That was the cost of his business flight ticket from Doha to Singapore that he took on Dec 11, 2023, at Ong’s expense through Singapore GP, the report said, citing the charge sheet.
The remaining 24 charges are for obtaining valuable items as a public servant, being a minister of Singapore.
The report said the charges are for a period between November 2015 and December 2021.
He was arrested on July 11 last year, said the report.
According to the report, Iswaran is facing 24 charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code – obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant.
Anyone found guilty under Section 165 can be jailed for up to two years, fined or both, for each charge, it said.
He was also given two corruption charges, under Sections 6(a) and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Anyone found guilty of Section 6(a) can be jailed for up to five years, fined up to SGD100,000 or both.
Under Section 7, they may be jailed for up to seven years, fined up to SGD100,000 or both.
The offence of trying to obstruct the course of justice comes with a punishment of up to seven years’ jail, a fine, or both, said the report.
Following the charge, the Straits Times reported that he has resigned from the People’s Action Party (PAP). He will also be stepping down as transport minister and West Coast GRC MP.
