Former Singaporean Cabinet minister begins one-year prison sentence for getting illegal gifts
Date
10/8/2024 5:22:41 AM
(MENAFN) Former Singaporean Cabinet Minister S. Iswaran began a one-year prison sentence on Monday for accepting illegal gifts, marking a rare criminal case involving a government minister in Singapore. Iswaran, who served as the Transport Minister, chose not to appeal his sentence, stating that he prioritized the reduction of two corruption charges to illegal gift acceptance at the start of his trial last month. He pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice and four counts of receiving gifts from two businessmen with whom he had official dealings.
The court imposed a 12-month prison term, which was longer than what both the defense and prosecution had recommended, but allowed him to begin serving the sentence immediately. In a statement on social media, Iswaran acknowledged that his actions were wrong under section 165 of the Penal Code and accepted full responsibility. He expressed his hope that he and his family could move past the pain and anguish caused by the situation and work on rebuilding their lives together.
This case has caused embarrassment for Singapore's ruling People’s Action Party, which prides itself on its reputation for clean governance. Singapore's ministers are among the highest-paid in the world, making Iswaran’s case particularly noteworthy. The last Cabinet minister to be charged with corruption was Wee Toon Boon, who was convicted in 1975 for accepting gifts in exchange for favors. Another minister was investigated for graft in 1986, but he died before any charges were filed.
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