Singapore transport minister S. Iswaran has resigned after being charged in a corruption case that has gripped the nation, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Thursday.
Iswaran (61) faces charges related to a graft case where he received favors such as tickets to shows, events and soccer matches from the years 2015 to 2022.
“The Government has dealt with this case rigorously in accordance with the law, and will continue to do so,” PM Lee said in a statement published online. “I am determined to uphold the integrity of the Party and the Government, and our reputation for honesty and incorruptibility.”
Chee Hong Tat, who had been acting transport minister during Iswaran’s suspension, is said to have replaced his predecessor on Thursday.
Iswaran, who was arrested in July last year, pleaded not guilty to the allegations of corruption saying: “I reject the allegations in the charges and will now focus on clearing my name.”
If convicted, the minister faces seven years in prison or a fine of up to S$100,000.
In a resignation letter posted online on Tuesday, Iswaran also wrote that he was stepping down from Lee’s cabinet and relinquishing his membership in the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Allegations against Iswaran
Iswaran faces 27 charges. According to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Iswaran is accused of having obtained kickbacks worth $286,181 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng including tickets to football matches, musicals, a flight on Ong’s private plane and tickets to the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Iswaran represented Singapore in negotiations for a Formula One motorsport event to be held in the city-state. The charges also allege that in September 2016, he received 10 tickets to the race worth over SG$40,000, and again the following year.
He also received two tickets worth over $744 to a soccer match between English Premier League teams Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in November 2015, and to shows such as “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” in December 2017.
Biggest graft case since 1986
Iswaran’s corruption case comes as a surprise to many as the country rarely sees any scandals or corruption cases involving political leaders. The last corruption case grappling the country was back in 1986 when the national development minister was accused of accepting bribes. Civil servants in the country that prides itself on good governance and integrity are highly paid with their salaries exceeding S$1 million. The country was also ranked the fifth least corrupt country in the world by Transparency International.
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