(Oct 7): S Iswaran turned himself in to a Singapore court to become the first ex-cabinet minister to be jailed in almost half a century, in a scandal that has riveted a city that prides itself on good governance.
The 62-year-old, who resigned as transport minister in January, arrived at court around half an hour before a 4pm deadline, where he hugged several people. Iswaran last month pleaded guilty to one charge of obstruction of justice and four charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, including obtaining valuable items from billionaire Ong Beng Seng.
“I accept that as a minister what I did was wrong under Section 165,” Iswaran said in a Facebook post on Monday. “I accept full responsibility for my actions and apologise unreservedly to all Singaporeans.”
Iswaran’s imprisonment completes the downfall of a high-profile figure whose career included more than a quarter century in parliament. Justice Vincent Hoong last week sentenced him to almost twice the seven months sought by prosecutors, and six times the term sought by the defence.
The former politician was allowed one last weekend of freedom after last week’s hearing. He said he won’t be appealing the sentence, even as he noted the toll the past 15 months have placed on his family.
“With this decision, I hope that we can put the pain and anguish behind us, move forward and rebuild our lives together,” Iswaran said in his post.
After the sentencing on Oct 3, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a statement that he was “disappointed and saddened”.
“As painful as it is to act against a colleague and friend, it is our duty to do so when necessary,” Wong said. “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.”
But the scandal isn’t over. On Oct 4, Singapore prosecutors charged property tycoon Ong in connection with the Iswaran case. The 78-year-old Ong didn’t immediately enter a plea in response to the charges of abetment and obstruction of justice, with a spokesperson saying the tycoon is “seeking legal advice on the charges”.
Iswaran had been facing 35 charges, including allegations that he obtained more than S$403,000 (US$312,000 or RM1.32 million) in luxury goods including tickets to musicals and soccer matches in the UK.
Most dealt with Iswaran’s interactions with Ong, and while the ex-minister had vowed to defend his innocence in court, he unexpectedly pleaded guilty to five counts on Sept 24, after prosecutors amended the indictment.
Iswaran’s lawyers argued in court that the valuable items were gifts from his friend Ong.
Ong, who had bail set at S$800,000, allegedly abetted Iswaran over two flights and a night’s stay at the Four Seasons hotel in Doha, with a total value of S$20,848.03. He was also accused of abetting the ex-minister in obstructing the course of justice. That corresponds with two of the five charges to which Iswaran admitted to on Sept 24.
“Trust and confidence in public institutions are the bedrock of effective governance,” Justice Hoong said on Oct 3, at Iswaran’s sentencing. This “can all too easily be undermined by the appearance that an individual public servant has fallen below the standards of integrity and accountability”.
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