Responding to Mr Iswaran’s sentencing, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expresses disappointment and sadness that Mr Iswaran’s political career has ended like this.
He says that while it is ‘painful to act against a colleague and friend, it is our duty to do so when necessary’.
“Our system of government and politics must always stay clean and free from corruption. Those entrusted with public service must uphold the highest standards of integrity and their conduct must be beyond reproach. This is absolutely vital and non-negotiable,” he says.
In his statement, PM Lawrence Wong notes that Mr Iswaran had served as a Member of Parliament for more than 25 years. During that time, he was an active and involved MP, addressing his residents’ concerns and making improvements to amenities in West Coast.
He also held ministerial portfolios in the Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of Transport, and Ministry of Trade and Industry. He made significant contributions in all of these roles.
However, his past contributions do not right this wrong, PM Wong said.
PM Wong also adds that no political system is immune from human frailties.
However stringently we act against corruption, from time to time some individuals will be tempted and will go astray. Such individuals must expect their actions will come to light sooner or later, whereupon they will be held to account, as is the case with Mr Iswaran.
How Iswaran’s case came to light
Iswaran’s case came to light in May 2023. The CPIB was investigating a separate matter relating to Mr Ong’s associates when it came across a flight manifest showing Iswaran had taken a trip on the billionaire’s private jet from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.
When Mr Ong learnt that the flight manifest had been seized by CPIB, he called Iswaran, who then asked Mr Ong to have Singapore GP bill him for the Doha trip. This act constituted the charge of obstructing the course of justice.
Iswaran issued a cheque for S$5,700 to Singapore GP in May 2023.
PM Wong says our system ensures that our public officers are accountable, and no one is beyond scrutiny or above the law.
“My team and I will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity and propriety. The integrity of the Singapore system and the tone of our society depends critically on the senior political leadership remaining clean and incorruptible, and unflinching in acting against corruption wherever it is discovered. We will do what is right by Singapore and Singaporeans, regardless of the political costs or the personal pain we feel when a colleague and friend has been jailed.”
Mr S Iswaran had been sentenced to 12-months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining, as a public servant, valuable things for no consideration (Section 165 of the Penal Code) and one charge of obstructing the course of justice (Section 204A(a) of the Penal Code). Another 30 charges under Section 165 were taken into consideration for the purposes of sentencing.
The offence under Section 165 deals specifically with bribery and other forms of corrupt practices involving public servants.
The Court said that the essence of the offence under Section 165 is the damage to the trust in, and integrity of, public institutions stemming from the perception that public servants may be cultivated by offers of valuable items from interested persons.
Ong Beng Seng charged
Following Mr Iswaran’s guilty plea and sentencing, property tycoon and hotelier and F1 Singapore Grand Prix head Ong Beng Seng will be charged tomorrow (4 Oct).
The charges appear to be for abetting one count each under Section 165 and Section 204A of the Penal Code. Section 165 relates to a public servant obtaining valuables while Section 204A pertains to obstructing justice.
