KUALA LUMPUR – Former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran was convicted on five counts on Tuesday (September 24) after pleading guilty to lesser charges of obtaining gifts while in public office.
At the start of the trial, the prosecution reduced the initial two corruption charges to offences under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which prohibits public servants from accepting valuable items from those connected to them in an official capacity, Channel News Asia reported.
Iswaran, 62, also pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice.
Iswaran’s lead counsel, Davinder Singh, argued that the offences caused limited harm and there was no suggestion that the government’s impartiality was compromised.
“The first time the public learned about the gifts was when Mr Iswaran was charged,” Singh, adding that the prosecution’s case, which alleged misuse of office, lacked clear evidence.
Plea for eight-week jail term
Ahead of sentencing, Singh requested no more than an eight-week prison sentence, arguing that the offences did not harm government interests. He highlighted that there was no suggestion that Iswaran’s friendships with the individuals who gave him gifts impacted government contracts.
Singh stressed that the gifts were received in the context of personal friendships, and Iswaran had been unaware of Section 165 but acknowledged his wrongdoing once informed.
He said Iswaran sought to take responsibility to spare his family further distress.
Singh noted that media reports had primarily focused on the corruption charges Iswaran initially faced, forcing his client to contest the case until the charges were amended. He argued that the amendment significantly changed the nature of the case.
The court hearing comes during a politically delicate period for Singapore, as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong prepares to lead the ruling People’s Action Party into the general election, following his succession of Lee Hsien Loong in May. – September 24, 2024