A former minister in Singapore was sentenced to 12 months in prison on Thursday for obstruction of justice and accepting illegal gifts, marking the first political graft trial in the city-state in nearly 50 years.
S. Iswaran, the ex-transport minister known for bringing Formula One racing to Singapore, faced 35 charges this year, primarily related to corruption in a country often recognized as one of the least corrupt globally.
His sentence exceeded the six to seven months proposed by the prosecution.
High Court Justice Vincent Hoong stated that such a duration would have been “manifestly inadequate” given the case’s impact on public trust.
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He emphasized that “trust and confidence in public institutions are the bedrock of effective governance,” and such trust can be easily undermined if public servants fail to meet integrity and accountability standards.
Iswaran was convicted last week on charges of obstruction of justice and accepting illegal gifts, with prosecutors pursuing only five of the lesser charges, some linked to a billionaire property tycoon.
His defense team requested that Iswaran’s prison term begin on October 7, according to local media. The court instructed the 62-year-old to report to the States Court that day at 4 pm (0800 GMT).
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Iswaran resigned in January after being formally notified of the charges, which include accepting gifts valued at over $300,000. In his resignation letter, he expressed his intention to clear his name in court.
He has already reimbursed the government approximately $295,000 and had gifts, including a Brompton bicycle, confiscated, as stated by the attorney general’s office.
The charges included attempts to obstruct Singaporean authorities from investigating a business-class flight funded by Malaysian hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore’s wealthiest individuals.
The remaining four charges involved accepting gifts from Ong, who is the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, and Lum Kok Seng, a senior director at a construction company, which included whiskey bottles and golf clubs.
Neither businessman has faced penalties. Local media reported that the attorney-general’s office plans to “make a decision soon” regarding Ong, but did not mention Lum.
Most charges against Iswaran were filed under a rarely invoked criminal law that prohibits public servants from accepting valuable items from individuals with whom they officially interact.
Observers have deemed Iswaran’s trial as one of the most politically significant in Singapore’s history, posing potential reputational risks for the ruling People’s Action Party ahead of general elections anticipated by November next year.
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