Disgraced ex-minister gets jail time in rare corruption case for squeaky clean Singapore

Singapore Reuters —

A Singapore court sentenced a former minister to 12 months in prison on Thursday for obstructing justice and receiving more than $300,000 worth of gifts, in the first jailing of an ex-cabinet member in a city-state known for clean governance.

S. Iswaran, who was a cabinet member for 13 years and has held the trade, communications and transport portfolios, had pleaded guilty to four counts of improperly receiving gifts and one of obstructing justice.

The court said Iswaran, 62, would be allowed to remain on bail for the next few days and begin his jail term on Monday.

The case has shocked Singapore, which prides itself on having a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy as well as strong and squeaky clean governance. It was among the world’s top five least corrupt countries last year, according to Transparency International’s corruption perception index.

The last corruption case involving a Singaporean minister was in 1986, when its national development minister was investigated for alleged bribery but died before any charges were filed in court.

The investigation caused a stir in the Asian financial hub and centered on allegations that Iswaran, while transport minister, accepted lavish gifts from businessmen that included tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals and a ride on a private jet.

Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng smiles during a news conference in Singapore May 11, 2007. Singapore will host a Formula One race in 2008, Iswaran said on Friday. Iswaran told a media briefing that a first race could be held in September or October next year and might be a night race. An F1 night race would be the first in the world, although several