S ISWARAN was charged on Monday (Mar 25) with eight counts of obtaining 10 bottles of whisky, 12 bottles of wine and some golf clubs worth S$18,956.94 in total from listed Lum Chang Holdings’ : L19 0% managing director when he was the transport minister.

The 61-year-old allegedly obtained these valuables between November 2021 and November 2022 from David Lum Kok Seng, when Lum Chang Building Contractors was dealing in the “addition and alteration works to existing Tanah Merah station and existing viaducts” with the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Besides golf equipment, whisky and wine, a Brompton bicycle valued at about S$7,900 was among the items that Iswaran was said to have obtained from Lum.

These charges were laid under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which outlaws the receipt or obtaining by a public servant of any valuable thing for free or inadequate payment.

When asked by district judge Brenda Tan, Iswaran said that he pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.

Lum Chang Building Contractors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lum Chang Holdings, the share price of which closed unchanged at S$0.29 on Monday.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

In a bourse filing made after trading hours, Lum Chang Holdings said that its board of directors is aware that the company’s managing director and subsidiary have been mentioned in media reports. Lum Chang added that its board will make announcements when there are material developments related to the matter.

A spokesperson from the Attorney-General’s Chambers said that the prosecution will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Lum, after the case against Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.  

Lum Chang Building Contractors has two ongoing projects with LTA, the agency under the Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Monday after Iswaran was handed the fresh charges.

One is the construction of North-South Corridor (Tunnel) between Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 and Ang Mo Kio Ave 9. The other is the one mentioned in Iswaran’s charge sheets – the addition and alteration works to an existing Tanah Merah station and existing viaducts. The projects were awarded in December 2018 and October 2016, respectively.

LTA said on Monday that it has not awarded any contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors since 2019.

The latest prosecution brings the total counts that Iswaran is facing to 35 and involves S$403,297.92 in all, including the 27 charges he was handed in January when he was first charged.

Iswaran arrived in court on Monday at about 8.20 am with members from his legal team from Davinder Singh Chambers.

He was first charged at the State Courts on Jan 18 and his case was later transferred to the High Court. A chambers hearing was fixed for Apr 2 for the prosecution and the defence to exchange information ahead of the trial.

Those who have ongoing High Court cases would have to return to the State Courts if additional charges are filed against them.

Iswaran initially faced 27 charges, including two for corruption.

The corruption charges relate to alleged bribes obtained from businessman Ong Beng Seng as inducement for advancing the hotel and property tycoon’s business interests in relation to agreements between race promoter Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Ong, who is chairman of Singapore GP and managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd, : H15 0% is credited with bringing the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix to Singapore.

Iswaran also faces 24 counts under Section 165 in relation to dealings with Ong. He is the first reported person to be charged under the section.

These charges are for allegedly obtaining, as a minister, items with a total value of more than S$200,000 from Ong between November 2015 and December 2021.

These include tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix, and various football matches and musicals in the UK.

Iswaran was also handed a charge of obstructing the course of justice for allegedly making repayment of S$5,700 in May 2023 for the cost of a business class flight ticket that he purportedly took in 2022 at Ong’s expense.

Iswaran was elected in 1997 as a Member of Parliament (MP) for West Coast GRC, where he served for 26 years. He was promoted to full minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in 2011.

He resigned from the ruling People’s Action Party in January and stepped down as transport minister and West Coast GRC MP.

Following his court appearance on Jan 18, Iswaran issued a statement declaring his innocence and said that he would focus on clearing his name. He was granted S$800,000 bail.

He was allowed to leave Singapore from Feb 16 to Mar 4 to help his son settle in at a university in Melbourne.

The prosecution imposed several conditions to this application, including additional S$500,000 bail and having to provide the investigation officer with his itinerary and his address overseas.

During his trip, Iswaran was admitted to private hospital Cabrini Malvern for a respiratory illness. He was advised by his doctor not to travel for 12 days following his discharge from the hospital on Mar 5.

He returned to Singapore and surrendered his passport to the authorities, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said on Mar 20.

On Feb 5, Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu told Parliament that STB was conducting an audit of the 2022 edition of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix, following allegations of corruption against Iswaran.

She said that to safeguard Singapore’s interests, the Ministry of Trade and Industry was also reviewing the terms of the deal between STB and Singapore GP to organise the F1 night race here.

For each corruption charge, Iswaran can be fined up to S$100,000, jailed for up to seven years, or both. He can be fined, jailed for up to two years, or both, for obtaining valuable items from someone he had business dealings with as a public servant. For obstructing the course of justice, he can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.

Additional reporting by The Straits Times