(Staff article from THE HINDU on 02 August 2023.)
CPIB’s probe into Transport Minister S. Iswaran
involves billionaire Ong Beng Seng, the man widely credited with bringing
Formula-1 racing to Singapore. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on
August 2 barred Indian-origin Transport Minister S. Iswaran from duty and
slashed his salary after he was arrested last month in relation to a corruption
probe.
Mr. Lee was speaking in Parliament on a recent spate of scandals that has rocked Singapore, a country otherwise known for its corruption-free and stable politics. He spoke on the ongoing corruption probe involving 61-year-old Mr. Iswaran and the resignations of two Members of Parliament (MPs), former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui, over their extramarital affair.
Mr. Iswaran's
pay was cut to $6,300 per month until further notice, Mr. Lee said. According
to the Public Service Division, as of 2023, the benchmark level of a minister's
monthly salary stands at $41,000, working out to an annual salary of $820,000.
Mr. Iswaran was
arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on July 11. He is
out on bail and has been placed on a leave of absence. CPIB's probe into Mr.
Iswaran also involves billionaire Ong Beng Seng, the man widely credited with
bringing Formula-1 racing to Singapore.
"Given that
such incidents involving ministers are rare, there is no rule or precedent on
how to effect an interdiction on a political office holder," Mr. Lee said
in Parliament. "The specific details in Minister Iswaran’s case follow
generally how the civil service would deal with a senior officer in a similar
situation.
"But this
was my decision as Prime Minister because the political contexts for a minister
and a civil servant being investigated and interdicted are different" he
was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia.
Briefly running
through the facts of the case, Mr. Lee said that while investigating a
"separate matter", CPIB came across some information concerning
Minister Iswaran that "merited investigation". Mr. Lee was briefed on
the findings by the director of CPIB on Jul 5.
"He told me
that CPIB would need to interview Minister Iswaran to take the investigation
further, and sought my concurrence to open a formal investigation," said
Mr. Lee, who gave his concurrence the next day.
Mr. Iswaran was
brought in by CPIB on July 11, and subsequently released on bail. Mr. Lee said
that CPIB investigations are still ongoing and that he is unable to provide
more details on the case, so as not to prejudice the investigations in any way.
"I ask
members of this House and the public to refrain from speculation and
conjecture. We must allow CPIB to do its work, to investigate the matter fully,
thoroughly and independently," he said.
When the
investigation is completed, CPIB will submit its findings to the
Attorney-General’s Chambers, which will decide what to do, he added. "Whichever
way the facts come out, the case will be taken to its logical conclusion. That
has always been our way," said Mr. Lee. More than 10 MPs had filed
questions on matters related to the probe by the CPIB.
Mr. Lee said
that in hindsight, after learning of an extramarital affair between former
lawmakers Mr. Tan and Ms. Cheng, he should have “forced the issue earlier”
rather than place "perhaps too much" weight on protecting their
families.
“By giving the
matter some time, I had hoped to give them a softer exit, and save them and
their families the pain and embarrassment that they are suffering now,” Mr. Lee
said during a ministerial statement in Parliament. "Regrettably, in the
end, Tan and Cheng did not stop the affair, and both had to go," the
report quoted Mr. Lee as saying.
Mr S Iswaran The Singapore’s Transport Minister
He then joined
the private sector, as Director for Strategic Development at Singapore
Technologies Pte Ltd. Later, as Managing Director at Temasek Holdings, he
undertook investments, takeover, buy-out and merger transactions in the
pharmaceuticals, biotech, hi-tech manufacturing, transport and logistics
sectors.
Mr Iswaran has
been elected as a Member of Parliament in six General Elections since 2 January
1997. Prior to his appointment to Cabinet in 2006, he served on several
Government Parliamentary Committees, and as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament
from September 2004 to June 2006.
Mr Iswaran is
currently the Minister for Transport, with responsibilities spanning land, air,
and sea transport. Key focus areas include rebuilding the Singapore air hub and
the safe reopening of air travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic; strengthening
Singapore’s maritime hub; and building a reliable, sustainable, and inclusive
land transport system.
Mr Iswaran is
concurrently Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations at the Ministry of Trade and
Industry where he oversees various bilateral and multilateral trade
negotiations. Mr Iswaran has also held
Ministerial positions in the Ministry of Communications and Information, the
Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Education.
Mr Iswaran read Economics at the University of Adelaide and graduated with First Class Honours. He also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.