A high-profile corruption trial is set to begin in Singapore on September 24, marking the first time in almost four decades that a political officeholder faces such charges. The accused is S Iswaran, former Transport Minister and a key figure in bringing the Formula One (F1) night race to the city-state, Al Jazeera reports.
Iswaran, 62, faces 35 charges related to obtaining valuables as a public servant, corruption, and obstructing the course of justice. He is accused of accepting over 400,000 Singapore dollars ($306,000) in gifts from two businessmen: Malaysian billionaire Ong Beng Seng, who was also instrumental in securing the F1 race, and Lum Kok Seng, a man with strong ties to grassroots organizations in Iswaran’s former electoral ward. The alleged gifts range from tickets to West End musicals and flights to bottles of whisky, Premier League match tickets, and even a Brompton bicycle.
While neither Ong nor Lum have been charged, Iswaran maintains his innocence.
“I reject the charges and am innocent,” he said in a letter to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
His legal team argues that he was unaware the gifts from his “close friends” could be considered “veiled gratification.”
The trial comes at a time when Singapore’s government is facing increased scrutiny over its handling of corruption allegations. The last major corruption case involving a minister was in 1986, ending tragically with the suicide of the accused, former Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan.
Singapore, consistently ranked among the least corrupt nations globally, relies heavily on its reputation for integrity and transparency. The Iswaran case poses a significant challenge to this image, particularly as it unfolds just five months into the term of new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, with a general election due by November 2025.
Despite the trial, a recent survey conducted by market research company Blackbox suggests that public sentiment towards the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) remains largely positive. The survey, conducted last month after Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered a major political speech, showed that the PAP enjoyed a positive rating from over half of the respondents. Blackbox concluded that the PAP is in a “reasonable position” despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Iswaran case.
