Former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran has pleaded guilty to five charges of accepting gifts worth thousands of dollars while in office, after initially facing 35 charges. Iswaran, who resigned in January, admitted to breaching the Penal Code and obstructing justice. The charges stem from gifts he received from two businessmen, including property tycoon Ong Beng Seng and grassroots organizer Lum Kok Seng. Iswaran has paid back $295,000 to the state and will forfeit the gifts he received. This rare corruption trial marks the first time a senior politician in Singapore has faced such charges in nearly four decades.
The case has drawn attention to Singapore’s strict regulations prohibiting civil servants and officeholders from accepting gifts valued over $38. The country is known for its low levels of corruption, ranking as the fifth least corrupt country in the world in 2023. The last corruption investigation involving a minister was in 1986, when former Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan was accused of accepting bribes. Teh took his own life before investigations were completed.
Iswaran’s guilty plea comes amidst another scandal involving former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin, who resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker who also stepped down. These cases have raised questions about integrity and ethical conduct among Singapore’s political elite. As the trial unfolds, the public will be closely watching the outcome and the impact it may have on the reputation of the government.
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