CPIB completes graft probe involving Iswaran; matter now under review by Attorney-General’s Chambers
SINGAPORE’S Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) has completed its “robust and thorough” investigation involving Transport Minister S Iswaran, and the matter is now being reviewed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), said Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Jan 9).
Chan was replying on behalf of the prime minister, in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa.
Poa had asked for an update on the CPIB probe, which was first revealed to be underway last July.
Since the matter is now being reviewed by the AGC, it would not be “appropriate to comment on the matter at this juncture”, said Chan in his reply.
“I understand that there is much public interest in this matter. I want to give my assurance that this case will be put through the due legal process,” he added.
The graft probe involving Iswaran came to light last July, when the transport minister was revealed to have been assisting the anti-graft agency with an investigation after being arrested on Jul 11.
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Three days later, property tycoon Ong Beng Seng was arrested for his involvement in the matter, and asked to provide the CPIB with information about his interactions with the transport minister. Both Iswaran and Ong are out on bail.
The corruption investigation arose from an unrelated investigation by the CPIB.
In May 2023, the bureau updated Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about the earlier case.
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Then, in July, it gave Lee another update, saying it needed to interview Iswaran as part of further investigations. Within the day, the prime minister gave his concurrence for the CPIB to open formal investigations.
Iswaran has been placed on a leave of absence and has had his monthly pay cut to S$8,500 until further notice, though he continues to draw an MP allowance.
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