Former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran has pleaded guilty to accepting gifts worth thousands of dollars while in office, admitting to five charges out of 35. Iswaran, known for bringing the Formula One night race to Singapore, accepted gifts from businessmen Ong Beng Seng and Lum Kok Seng, including tickets, flights, and a bicycle. He resigned in January and has paid back $295,000 to the state. Iswaran’s case is the first corruption trial involving a senior politician in almost four decades in Singapore. Civil servants and political officeholders are prohibited from accepting gifts over $38. This rare trial comes as former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair. Singapore, ranked the fifth least corrupt country in 2023 by Transparency International, has not seen a corruption investigation involving a minister since 1986. Former Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan took his own life before investigations into bribery allegations could be completed. Iswaran’s guilty plea marks a significant moment in Singaporean politics, emphasizing the strict stance against corruption in the city-state.
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