Background

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has requested the country’s Transport Minister, S. Iswaran, to go on leave due to his involvement in an ongoing investigation by Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.

Leave of Absence

Prime Minister Lee stated that Minister Iswaran, along with other unidentified individuals, is currently assisting the anti-graft agency in their investigations. As a result, Lee has instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the investigations are completed. Lee did not provide further details about the case.

Acting Minister for Transport

During Iswaran’s absence, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will serve as the acting Minister for Transport. It is important to note that Iswaran also oversees Singapore’s trade relations.

Previous Allegations

This announcement follows a recent state review concerning allegations against two other cabinet ministers regarding their rental of government-owned colonial bungalows. The review, led by a senior member of PM Lee’s cabinet, found no evidence of corruption or abuse of power against Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, therefore they were not required to take leave.

Minister Iswaran’s Background

S. Iswaran, a Harvard-educated politician, has held various government positions since entering politics in the 1997 elections. He has served in the ministries for education, home affairs, trade and industry, and communications and information. Prior to his political career, Iswaran held a senior role at state investor Temasek Holdings.

Singapore’s Clean Reputation

Singapore, known for its clean reputation, is ranked fifth on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index. The city-state prides itself on its integrity and currently pays its ministers the highest salaries in the world.