Singapore’s former transport minister S. Iswaran sentenced to one year in prison for corruption

Singapore’s Indian-origin former Transport Minister S. Iswaran has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being found guilty in a corruption case involving nearly 400,000 Singapore dollars in gifts and benefits received from businessmen over a seven-year period.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) completed its probe into the case last year. The court found that Iswaran had accepted expensive items - including bottles of whiskey and wine, golf clubs, and a Brompton bicycle - as bribes in exchange for official favours.

The presiding judge said Iswaran had betrayed public trust and abused his position instead of upholding the responsibilities of a public servant.

A senior member of Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), Iswaran resigned from both his cabinet post and the party in January 2025, following the corruption allegations. He had served as Transport Minister since May 2021 and was considered one of the key figures in Singapore’s economic and infrastructure development portfolio.

The case marks one of Singapore’s most high-profile corruption convictions in recent years, underscoring the country’s strict enforcement of integrity and transparency in public office.