AFTER former minister S Iswaran pleaded guilty to five charges on Tuesday (Sep 24), both sides made their arguments for sentencing.
First, the prosecution laid out the facts of the charges, which relate to Iswaran’s dealings with hotel and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng as well as David Lum, managing director of Singapore-listed Lum Chang Holdings.
The charges were one count of obstructing justice and four counts under Section 165 of the Penal Code. Section 165 prohibits public servants from accepting or obtaining anything of value, for free or for inadequate payment, from any person with whom they are involved in an official capacity.
Iswaran’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, argued that the gifts were received in the context of the former minister’s friendship with the two men and there was no premeditation involved in the offences.
F1 hospitality suite tickets
In 2017, as chairman of the F1 steering committee at the time, Iswaran informed deputy chairman of race promoter Singapore GP Colin Syn that he required 10 green room tickets to the Singapore F1 Grand Prix that year.
The green room is a hospitality suite at the F1 which offers guests a “premium experience”, said Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong. Each green room ticket includes access to an air-conditioned suite with outdoor seating, as well as complimentary food and alcoholic beverages. The total value of the tickets was S$42,265.
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Syn obtained approval for the requested 10 tickets, which came under a contractual obligation between Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board. Some time in 2017, the tickets were delivered to Iswaran for distribution to friends, family and others.
Giving Iswaran’s side of the story, Singh said these were complimentary tickets and never meant for sale.
Iswaran did not resell or earn anything from the tickets. He distributed them to different people, including members of grassroots organisations as well as people from charitable and social services sectors, as he wanted it to be an inclusive event that all segments of Singapore’s society can enjoy, said Singh.
This was in line with his responsibility to promote the Grand Prix, Singh added. Iswaran also returned the undistributed tickets.
World Cup trip
In December 2022, Ong asked Iswaran if he would like to join him on his trip to Qatar as his guest. Ong would ”look after him”, said Tai, meaning that he would take care of Iswaran’s expenses on the trip.
Iswaran took urgent personal leave to go on a trip to Doha. Iswaran travelled to Doha on Ong’s private jet, and checked into the Four Seasons Hotel there. The value of the private jet flight was about S$10,410.40, while the room was valued at S$4,737.63.
Iswaran paid for neither the flight nor accommodation; his accommodation was paid for by Singapore GP, on Ong’s instructions, the court heard.
When the Doha trip was over, Iswaran travelled back to Singapore on a business class flight, also paid for by Singapore GP on the instruction of Ong. This flight cost S$5,700.
In mitigation, Singh said Iswaran had not requested the private jet and business class tickets, and had been invited on the trip as Ong’s guest to watch the 2022 World Cup in Doha.
Iswaran agreed to go on the trip as they were friends, and saw it as an opportunity to learn how the city organised such an event.
The cost of the private plane would have been incurred regardless, as Ong was already travelling to Doha, he said.
Whisky, wine and a Brompton bike
As for the two charges involving Lum, one of them related to Iswaran obtaining 14 bottles of whisky and wine with a total value of S$3,255.75.
Some time in late 2021, Iswaran asked Lum to source for whisky and red wine from the businessman’s regular supplier.
The court heard that the ex-minister had sent Lum a screenshot of a bottle of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whisky via WhatsApp, asking Lum to check what his supplier thought of it.
In January 2022, Lum informed Iswaran that he had purchased two bottles of the whisky, and would send the bottles along with a batch of red wine.
Iswaran acknowledged the message and thanked Lum for the gifts. Lum then arranged for the 14 bottles to be delivered to Iswaran’s home.
Another charge was for obtaining a Brompton bicycle valued at S$7,907.50.
The court heard that Lum and his family had received an invitation to Iswaran’s 60th birthday celebration. Lum told Iswaran that he would buy the former minister a foldable bicycle as a birthday gift.
In mitigation, Singh said Iswaran had asked what Lum’s supplier thought with the intention of purchasing the alcohol himself. And since the bicycle was a birthday gift, Lum suffered no losses in gifting it.
Upon learning that the prosecution intended to amend the corruption charges against him, Iswaran immediately offered to fully give up the financial gain that he had received from the items he accepted, Singh said.
These exclude the items taken by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau – six bottles of whisky, six bottles of wine, various golf equipment and the bicycle – as well as the commercial flight ticket from Doha to Singapore, which he had already repaid.
