Singapore’s ex-transport minister Iswaran sentenced to 12 months in jail for receiving gifts, obstructing justice

The case has drawn significant attention in the city state, where ministers are well paid, and the island republic consistently ranks high on global anti-corruption indices.

Iswaran, who entered politics in 1997 and joined Lee Hsien Loong’s cabinet in 2006, had pleaded guilty despite initially maintaining his innocence when legal proceedings began in January.

The 62-year-old had initially been charged with two counts of corruption and was set to go on trial but in an unexpected twist on September 24, he pleaded guilty after the prosecution amended the charges to the lesser ones of obtaining gifts as a public servant for no consideration. These charges do not require the prosecution to prove that Iswaran received the gifts corruptly in exchange for advancing the giver’s business interests.

On Thursday, Justice Vincent Hoong called the submissions on sentencing from both the prosecution and the defence “manifestly inadequate” and noted that Iswaran’s high level of office meant he was more culpable.

The prosecution, led by Deputy Attorney General Tai Wei Shyong, earlier sought six to seven months’ imprisonment while the defence, led by top litigator Davinder Singh, urged the court for no more than eight weeks, if the judge found a jail term was warranted.

Hoong emphasised that trust and confidence in public institutions are the bedrock of effective governance.