SINGAPORE - Former transport minister S. Iswaran, who is facing corruption charges, has returned to Singapore following his discharge from a hospital in Melbourne.
He has surrendered his passport to the authorities, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said on March 20 in response to queries from The Straits Times.
The former minister, who was granted $800,000 bail after he was charged on Jan 18, was originally slated to be in Australia from Feb 16 to March 4.
He was given permission to leave Singapore to help his son settle in at a university in Melbourne.
Several conditions were imposed, including an additional cash bail of $500,000.
ST had reported that the former minister was warded at the private hospital Cabrini Malvern for respiratory illness, and he was subsequently discharged.
He was advised by his doctor not to travel for 12 days following his discharge from a hospital in Melbourne, on March 5.
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The former minister was granted permission to remain abroad, but he has to report to the police investigation officer daily via video call, and provide updates on his medical condition and whether there are any issues concerning his return to Singapore on March 19.
Iswaran is accused of 24 counts of obtaining, as a minister, items with a total value of more than $200,000 from property tycoon Mr Ong Beng Seng, who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
These items include tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix (GP), football matches in Britain and musicals.
Several of the charges are related to alleged incidents that happened between 2015 and 2021, and involved him purportedly obtaining tickets to a football match between West Ham United and Everton, and shows such as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
He also faces a charge of obstructing the course of justice on or about May 25, 2023.
According to court documents, he had allegedly made repayment of $5,700 – the cost of his business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore that he purportedly took on Dec 11, 2022, at Mr Ong’s expense – through Singapore GP.
Following his court appearance on Jan 18, 2024, Iswaran issued a statement stating his innocence and said he will focus on clearing his name.
He was elected in 1997 as an 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.
Iswaran resigned from the People’s Action Party in January and stepped down as transport minister and West Coast GRC MP.
For each corruption charge, he can be fined up to $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.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.