Ex-minister found guilty in case that gripped Singapore
Singapore’s former transport minister has been convicted of accepting gifts while in office after pleading guilty in a local court.
Subramanian Iswaran, 62, was initially charged with corruption, but prosecutors revised the charges just as his trial was set to begin on Tuesday.
Corruption cases involving public officials are uncommon in Singapore, a financial hub known for its pristine reputation, making Iswaran’s case a significant matter of public interest.
He now faces either a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years for each charge of receiving gifts or benefits, a lesser penalty compared to a corruption conviction, which could result in a fine of up to $100,000 or a maximum of seven years in prison.
Iswaran is the first political office-holder in Singapore to be tried in court in the last 50 years. He is particularly recognized for bringing the Formula 1 Grand Prix to the Southeast Asian island nation, with the latest event concluding just days before his court appearance.
Charge sheets indicated that he received over S$403,000 ($311,882; £234,586) worth of flights, hotel accommodations, musicals, and Grand Prix tickets. After the charges were filed in January, Iswaran initially pleaded not guilty and resigned from his government position, stating his intention to focus on clearing his name.
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng was named in the charges, often as the party offering the alleged bribes.
Mr Ong owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix, while Iswaran was an advisor to the race’s steering committee.
Mr Ong’s company Hotel Properties also has 38 hotels and resorts operating under brands including Four Seasons, Hard Rock Hotels, and Concorde, according to the London Stock Exchange’s Refinitiv Eikon.
Mr. Ong was arrested last year along with Iswaran but has not been charged with any offense. He was initially scheduled to take the stand as a prosecution witness in Iswaran’s trial.
In March of this year, Iswaran was handed eight additional charges that allege he obtained items such as a Brompton bicycle, a set of golf clubs, and whisky from another figure: construction company boss Lum Kok Seng.
Mr Lum’s company is involved with several government infrastructure projects around Singapore, which were awarded while Iswaran was Transport Minister. He has not been charged either.
While in government, Iswaran held multiple portfolios in the prime minister’s office: in home affairs, communications, and, most recently, the transport ministry.
But it was during his long stint in the trade and industry ministry that he gained prominence, playing a role in developing Singapore’s tourism landscape in the late 2000s and 2010s.
This was a time when the government poured in vast resources and courted billions in foreign investment to build casinos, hotels, tourist attractions, and events like the F1 Grand Prix.
Iswaran was a familiar face on the podium, often handing out trophies to drivers amid celebratory sprays of champagne.
The case against Iswaran is one of a series of political scandals that have rocked the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has long touted its strong stance against corruption and amoral behavior.
In 2023, the government was rocked by a separate corruption probe into the properties of two other ministers, which eventually cleared them of wrongdoing, as well as two lawmakers’ resignation over an extramarital affair.
Singapore’s lawmakers are among the highest-paid in the world, with some ministers earning more than S$1 million ($758,000). Leaders justify the handsome salaries by saying it combat corruption.
Before last year, the most recent case of a politician facing a major corruption probe was in 1986, when national development minister Teh Cheang Wan was investigated for accepting bribes. He took his own life before he was charged.
Before that, former minister of state for environment Wee Toon Boon was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 1975 for a case involving more than $800,000.
