It was an unprecedented series of events in Singapore in which government ministers were charged with corruption and taken to court.
Transport Minister S. Iswaran was formally accused on Monday of accepting bribes, including rides on a private jet and tickets to the musical “Hamilton” and a soccer match in Britain. He had resigned from his position by the time he appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
Singapore has long touted its squeaky clean image and lack of blemishes. But in recent months, several scandals have tarnished the reputation of the ruling People’s Action Party and effectively tarnished the country’s reputation.
Allegations of fraud involving Iswaran became public in July. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered Mr Iswaran to go on leave while authorities investigated his dealings with a billionaire who helped bring Formula 1 auto racing to Singapore. The charges announced against him include two counts of corruption and one count of obstruction of justice. He is also charged with 24 counts of “obtaining valuable property in the capacity of a public official” worth more than hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“There is no denying that this is a body blow to the PAP, the government and Singapore,” said Eugene Tan, associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University. “This is a system that has always prided itself on its high national standard of living and its lack of corruption. When there are a series of allegations that a minister has compromised himself, there are legitimate concerns.”
In addition to Mr Iswaran’s case, the PAP last year faced scandals over the real estate deals of two ministers involving government bungalows and an extramarital affair between the Speaker of Parliament and another MP. Although the government found no evidence of wrongdoing or corruption in the real estate matter, the incident raised questions about the privileged position of ministers in Singapore, where the cost of living is soaring.
Singapore has always been praised for its lack of grafting. In 2022, Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranked India the fifth least corrupt country, making it the only country in Asia to rank in the top 10.
Prime Minister Lee said the government was and would continue to deal with Mr Iswaran’s case “strictly and in accordance with the law”.
“I am determined to uphold the integrity of the party and government, and the reputation of honesty and incorruption,” Lee said in a statement. “Singaporeans have high expectations.”
Voters will vote in the next general election, which must be held by 2025. The PAP’s vote share has declined in recent elections, and it faces increasing challenges from opposition parties that have criticized its work for decades. , one-party advantage.
The party is also 10 months away from a major leadership change, during which Prime Minister Lee will step down and hand over power to so-called 4G, or “fourth generation” leaders, including Lee. It is believed that this will happen. Iswaran.
Prime Minister-to-be Lawrence Wong emphasized his party’s stance on corruption.
“PAP’s stance on corruption is non-negotiable, it is part of our DNA,” Wong told reporters. “There can be no compromise, mitigation or subterfuge on this, regardless of the political cost.”
Mr Iswaran said he would pay back all the money he had earned as a minister and MP since he was investigated in July. During this period, the government has reduced ministerial salaries to $6,300 a month, a fraction of a minister’s standard monthly salary of about $41,000. (Singapore’s ministers are among the highest paid in the world, and the government has justified this in the past by saying it would prevent corruption.)
On Thursday, the government released a letter he wrote to Lee, dated Tuesday, in which he said he would resign and “focus on clearing his name.”
Almost all the charges against Iswaran stem from his dealings with Ong Beng Seng, the billionaire real estate mogul who brought F1 racing to Singapore in 2008, and is also under investigation. Twenty-four of the charges occurred between November 2015 and December 2021. Mr Iswaran is accused of obtaining “valuables” worth about $160,000 from Mr Ong, according to Singapore’s corruption watchdog.
According to local media reports, these include “The Book of Mormon,” “Hamilton,” and tickets to an English Premier League soccer match in the United Kingdom. He also received tickets to the F1 race in Singapore, as well as a flight to Doha, Qatar, on Mr Ong’s private jet, an overnight stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Doha, and a business class flight from Singapore. I have doubts. Broadcasting stations reported that he was heading to Singapore from Doha.
The two corruption charges relate to Mr Iswaran allegedly receiving bribes totaling about $124,000 from Mr Ong in September and December 2022, according to Singapore’s corruption watchdog. The payments are said to have been in return for furthering the business interests of tycoons involved in Singapore’s Formula 1 race, the Singapore Grand Prix, and the Singapore Tourism Board.
If convicted, Iswaran is likely to be jailed. But few expect him to receive an extremely long prison sentence. The judge is likely to hand down sentences commensurate with the charges, ruling that any sentences can run concurrently.