Following his charges in court for a number of offences that include corruption and obstruction of Justice, former Minister of Transport S. Iswaran resigned from the Cabinet.
Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat is set to take over as the new Transport Minister while retaining his position as the Second Minister for Finance.
As part of the reshuffle, Ms. Grace Fu, currently heading the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), will assume the role of Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations. These changes are effective immediately, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Resignation from roles
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirmed Mr. Iswaran’s resignation, highlighting the developments that led to this decision. The 61-year-old minister faced charges following investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
Mr. Iswaran formally tendered his resignation letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on January 16, a day after receiving charges. In this letter, he stepped down from his roles as Transport Minister, PAP (People’s Action Party) member, and West Coast GRC (Group Representation Constituency) MP.
The former minister also expressed his intention to return his reduced ministerial salary and MP allowances received since the start of the CPIB probe, which commenced in July of the previous year. Despite maintaining his innocence, Mr. Iswaran cited his inability to discharge his duties as a Minister and MP as the reason for returning the monies, acting out of good conscience.
Prime Minister Lee responded to Mr. Iswaran’s resignation and offer to return the funds in a letter on January 17, accepting both.
Chee Hong Tat and Grace Fu
In light of these developments, Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat is promoted to a full Minister and will undertake the responsibilities of the Transport Ministry. Minister Grace Fu takes over the additional role of Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, a position held by Mr. Iswaran since 2011.
This Cabinet reshuffle reflects Singapore’s commitment to maintaining effective governance amid challenges, ensuring continuity and stability in key ministerial portfolios.
Prime Minister’s Office Statement
The Prime Minister announced his new Cabinet line-up and other political appointments on 18 January 2024.
Mr Chee Hong Tat will be promoted to full Minister and be appointed as Minister for Transport. He will also be appointed Second Minister for Finance.
Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, will concurrently assume responsibility as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.
The changes will take effect from 18 January 2024.
A Facebook user has shared his unpleasant encounter with his friend who is an insurance agent.
According to his post, his friend has introduced him to investing in a new fund with high returns and zero risks involved. He then decides to invest 70 per cent of his saving into the fund. However, in just a few months’ time, his investment incurred a loss which was 50% of what he had invested.
He then confronted his friend and only find out that his friend did not inform him about the losses until the annual report of the fund is about to be public.
His friend then told him that he did not know that investment is risky.
In his post:
“One of my friends is a financial/insurance advisor. He asked me to put my money in this new private fund (let’s just call it Tasty Tulip) that he said confirm plus chop guarantee 20% annual returns with zero risk. Over the past few months, I followed his well-meaning advice and let him put around 70% of my savings into Tasty Tulip.
Today, he told me that Tasty Tulip lost 50% of my original capital! When I called my friend, he said that it didn’t cross his mind that investments are risky and even worse, his boss defended him by quoting the “No Free Lunch Theorem” in finance (smlj?)! Can you imagine how angry I was when this boss said nothing at our prior meeting when my friend gave me his reassurances?!
The worse part of this is that my friend already knew of the losses a few months ago, but only told me about the loss before Tasty Tulip published its annual report. But since he had many sleepless nights worrying about this, do you think I should forgive him and let him manage the remaining 30% of my savings?”
Former Singapore Minister of Transport S. Iswaran was charged in court earlier today with a staggering 27 charges for a number of offences, including corruption, obstruction of justice.
According to Channel NewsAsia, Iswaran had allegedly received more than $384,000 of gratification that included tickets to football matches, flights on private jets, tickets to shows and F1 races.
The Corrupt Practices and Investigation Bureau also issued a statement on the situation (see below).
Corruption Charges: A Closer Look
The first corruption charge accuses Iswaran of corruptly obtaining gratification totaling S$145,434 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. This was allegedly in exchange for advancing Mr. Ong’s business interests related to a contract between Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The second corruption charge details Iswaran’s alleged receipt of gratification from Mr. Ong in December 2022. This included an outbound flight on Mr. Ong’s private plane, a night’s stay in Four Seasons Doha, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore.
Obstruction of Justice: Repayment Details
Iswaran faces a charge of obstructing justice, related to a repayment of S$5,700 made to Singapore GP around May 25, 2023. This amount supposedly covered the cost of Iswaran’s business flight ticket from Doha to Singapore, funded by Mr. Ong.
Obtaining Valuables as a Public Servant: Extensive Timeline
The bulk of the charges, 24 in total, span from November 2015 to December 2021. Iswaran is accused of obtaining various valuable items as a public servant during this period. These items range from tickets to shows and football matches to exclusive passes for the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Received two tickets to the show “Thriller” valued at approximately £200 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK), acknowledging his connection with the F1 Steering Committee.
Obtained two tickets for the play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” valued at around £270 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Acquired two tickets to the football match between West Ham United FC and Everton FC (Boleyn Ground), valued at about £468, from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings UK.
Secured two tickets for the football match featuring Arsenal FC versus Tottenham Hotspur FC (Emirates), with an estimated worth of £550, from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Received ten Green Room tickets for the 2016 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix valued at approximately S$42,265 from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Obtained ten Green Room tickets for the 2017 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, worth around S$42,265, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Acquired five Boardwalk tickets for the 2017 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, valued at about S$40,000, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Secured four tickets to the show “Book of Mormon” with an estimated value of £540 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Obtained four tickets for the football match featuring Chelsea FC versus Southampton FC (Stamford Bridge), valued at approximately £700, from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Received four tickets for the shows “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Part 1” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Part 2” with an estimated worth of £1,000 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Acquired four tickets to the football match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC (Emirates), valued at about £1,100, from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Secured four tickets to the show “Kinky Boots” with an approximate value of £300 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Obtained six Twenty3 tickets for the 2018 Singapore Formula Grand Prix, valued at about S$13,193.10, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Received thirteen general admission tickets for the 2018 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, valued at around S$16,744, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Acquired four tickets to the show “The Play That Goes Wrong” with an estimated value of £380 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Secured four tickets to the show “School of Rock” with an approximate worth of £560 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Obtained four tickets for the football match between Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC, valued at least £120, from Mr. Ong.
Received four tickets to the show “Hamilton” with an estimated value of £400 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Acquired four tickets to the show “Waitress” with an approximate worth of £524 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Secured four tickets to the show “Betrayal” with an estimated value of £1,080 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Obtained six Green Room tickets for the 2019 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, valued at about S$26,643, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Received sixteen general admission tickets for the 2019 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, worth approximately S$20,608, from Mr. Ong through Singapore GP.
Acquired two tickets for the show “Back to the Future” with an estimated value of £449 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
Secured two tickets to the show “&Juliet” with an approximate worth of £250 from Mr. Ong through Como Holdings (UK).
The charges highlight the connection between the obtained items and Iswaran’s official functions as the chairman of the F1 Steering Committee. Items include tickets to shows like Thriller and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, as well as football matches and exclusive Formula 1 Grand Prix passes.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the charges against Iswaran mark a significant scandal in Singapore’s political landscape. The alleged corruption and gratifications, if proven true, could have far-reaching consequences.
S Iswaran Charged for Corruption and Other Offences
In accordance with usual procedure, CPIB recorded Cautioned Statements from S Iswaran and informed him that he would be charged in the State Courts on 18 January 2024. Today, he was charged for the following offences:
a) 2 charges of corruption under section 6(a) read with section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
i. The first charge alleges that in September 2022, Iswaran, as a Minister of the Government of Singapore, corruptly obtained from one Ong Beng Seng (王明 星) (“Ong”) gratification with a total value of about S$145,434, as inducement for advancing Ong’s business interests in matters relating to a contract between Singapore GP Pte Ltd and the Singapore Tourism Board.
ii. The second charge alleges that in December 2022, Iswaran, as a Minister of the Government of Singapore, corruptly obtained from Ong gratification with a total value of about S$20,848.03, as inducement for advancing Ong’s business interests in matters relating to a contract between Singapore GP Pte Ltd and the Singapore Tourism Board, and a proposal for a contract with the Singapore Tourism Board.
b) 24 charges of obtaining, as a public servant, valuable things with a total value of about S$218,058.95 from Ong for no consideration, punishable under section 165 of the Penal Code committed between November 2015 to December 2021.
c) 1 charge of obstructing the course of justice, which is an offence punishable under section 204A(a) of the Penal Code, committed on or about 25 May 2023.
2. Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. Any person who is convicted of a corruption offence under section 6 read with section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act can be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to seven years or both. Any person who is convicted under section 165 of the Penal Code can be fined or sentenced to imprisonment of up to two years or both. Any person who is convicted under section 204A(a) of the Penal Code can be fined or sentenced to imprisonment of up to seven years or both.
In a significant development, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has issued a statement regarding the resignation of Mr S Iswaran, a former Cabinet Minister, and member of the People’s Action Party (PAP), on January 18, 2024. The resignation comes in the wake of criminal charges filed against Mr Iswaran by the Public Prosecutor.
The statement reveals that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau formally notified Mr Iswaran of the charges on January 16, 2024. Following this notice, Mr Iswaran communicated his decision to resign as a Cabinet Minister, PAP member, and Member of Parliament for the West Coast Group Representation Constituency in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Additionally, on January 17, 2024, Mr Iswaran conveyed his intention to return all monies received as salary for his ministerial role and allowances as an MP from the initiation of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s (CPIB) investigations in July 2023. With his resignation, Mr Iswaran will cease to receive any salary or allowance from the Government.
In response, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on January 17, acknowledged Mr Iswaran’s decision to resign and return the funds.
PM Lee’s Statement on Iswaran’s Resignation
Statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Mr S Iswaran’s resignation on 18 January 2024 and exchange of letters.
The Public Prosecutor has filed criminal charges against Mr Iswaran in Court today.
On 16 January 2024, after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had given Mr Iswaran formal notice of the charges, he wrote to me to resign as a Cabinet Minister and as a member of the People’s Action Party (PAP). He also informed me that he was resigning as Member of Parliament for the West Coast Group Representation Constituency.
On 17 January 2024, Mr Iswaran further informed me that he would return all monies received by way of salary as Minister and allowances as MP from the commencement of the CPIB’s investigations in July 2023. Since Mr Iswaran has now resigned, he will henceforth no longer receive any salary or allowance from the Government.
I replied to Mr Iswaran on 17 January 2024 to accept his resignations and acknowledge his decision to return the monies. The exchange of letters is attached.
The Government has dealt with this case rigorously in accordance with the law, and will continue to do so. I am determined to uphold the integrity of the Party and the Government, and our reputation for honesty and incorruptibility. Singaporeans expect no less.
Former Transport Minister S. Iswaran finds himself entangled in a legal web, facing a staggering 27 charges as of January 18. These charges span a period from 2015 to 2021 and involve alleged misconduct, including corruption, obtaining items from business associates, and obstruction of justice, according to The Straits Times.
The legal saga began in July 2023 when the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) arrested Iswaran. The charges brought against him are multifaceted, revealing a complex narrative involving prominent figures and events.
The Arrival at State Courts
Iswaran’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, faces off against Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng and his team. The unfolding drama sheds light on the intricate connections between Iswaran and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng.
On January 18, Iswaran, accompanied by his legal team, including Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, arrived at the State Courts to face the charges. The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng, presented 27 charges, consisting of corruption, obtaining items, and obstructing the course of justice.
The Allegations and Charges
Court documents reveal a complex web of allegations, with most offenses involving Ong Beng Seng, known for bringing Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
Iswaran allegedly obtained gratification from Ong, totaling about $145,434 in September 2022, and another $20,848.03 in December 2022, related to business interests concerning a contract between Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board.
The charges extend to Iswaran allegedly obtaining valuable items, totaling approximately $218,058.95, from Ong on 24 occasions between November 2015 and December 2021.
These items, including football match tickets and Formula 1 Grand Prix passes, were received while Iswaran held the role of Chairman of the F1 Steering Committee, making the transactions questionable.
Obstruction of Justice
One of the charges against Iswaran pertains to obstructing the course of justice. He allegedly made a repayment of $5,700 through Singapore GP, covering the cost of his business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore, a ticket allegedly funded by Ong. This repayment was made around May 25, 2023.
During the court appearance, Iswaran, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges and is currently out on $800,000 bail. His legal team, led by Davinder Singh, sought clarification on the reduced number of charges, indicating that Iswaran was initially charged with 36 offenses on January 15. The prosecution confirmed it was not proceeding with the remaining nine charges.
Future Proceedings and Political Impact
Iswaran’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 1. The Attorney-General’s Chambers will decide on further actions against Iswaran and others involved in the case after the proceedings against him are completed. The legal developments have raised questions about the political ramifications and potential impact on Iswaran’s longstanding career.
I work for a really chill office and there is usually ‘no government’ in the office. My two male colleagues and I all get along, but of course, as I’m sure you’d guess, they are sometimes out of line with what’s said and some of their behaviour.
One thing that really annoys me is the constant need for them to comment on what I’m wearing or not wearing when they could just shut up instead.
For example on last Friday, I liked how the bottom half of my hair looked as it wasn’t digging the greasiness of my roots. I don’t usually take advantage of the no managers/boss thing here to do and wear what I want but today I decided to wear a baseball cap to work.
That started the floodgate of comments I have heard non stop for the whole day on how I should be wearing hats more often, how good it looks, how much they like women in hats which I quote “I love women in ball caps, you should wear that more often”, and also the constant asking of why haven’t I worn one before, etc.
Why on earth can us women not exist without hearing a a man’s opinion about the slightest change or anything involving our appearance?
It comes across as if they think I get up every morning and ask myself what they want me to look like, how they want me to act so I can please them or make them happy with my appearance.
They make it seem like we do everything for them. I’m wearing a hat because my roots are greasy, I don’t care if you like women in hats, I don’t care if you like hats.
Why can’t you keep your thoughts about my appearance to yourself?
My parents are looking at me as a retirement plan. They keep saying that they are waiting for me to work then they will retire and rely on me fully. They don’t have much savings, due to bad spending habits(involved in mlm, buy toto) and this resulted in stress for me. They are self-employed hence not much money in cpf too.
I have been paying for my own education since poly and groceries that I need, in case you all are wondering how I took so much money from them and didnt return the favour.
I would like to help out w bills and such, but I’m not like earning 10k straight out of sch so supporting them fully will be out of the qn. I wanted to help w bills and groceries and maybe give them a small allowance but how to draw the line?? I’m afraid that once I start helping out financially, they will really expect everything, like not just bills. They are alrdy telling me to leave a room for them in my future house so I can take care of them fully, but I really have no such plans since I’m intending to start a family of my own. Currently, they are still healthy though, just tired of working. I suggested that they would have enough pocket money once I move out, since they can rent out my room, but they are not happy with still needing to work.
I’m stressing out rn and would like some advice on what to do. Somehow I’m so envious of my friends, whose parents have their savings and not raise children to be their retirement plans.
Btw I do have an older brother but he cut contact after moving out, so somehow I became their last resort, and I resent him for that. If our parents ever need help w medical bills or need payment for nursing homes in future, are there legal means to push him to pay his portion?? It is really unfair for me to shoulder everything myself. He didnt give any allowance or pay the bills even though he was alrdy working when living w us.
Here are what netizens think:
Ur bro should share the responsibility with you. At the same time, u need to have a talk with ur parents that ur need to save up for ur future. Dont they want you to get married, have a family of ur own and have a house of ur own. They need to stop wasting money on 4ds n stuffs n save up instead no matter how much.
There might be 1,000,001 advices, comments or conspiracy theories on this one. There is a saying in Chinese “船到桥头自然直“, it just means things unfold and will come good in its own time. No point dwelling on this too-far-away-future issue now, and let it affect your present. You just have to look inwards within yourself what does family means to you, and how much you can or are willing to do for them. As long as you have done your best, then be it. That might give you a different answer. All best.
Give them money by topping up their CPF. Pay bills only. No allowance. Once they get that, they will build up a habit to rely on you for that allowance.
Can consider to Share some insurance premium with bro to rely on insurance for parents at old age which then transfer the financial risk to the insurance company.
I (22m) and my partner (27m) have been dating for 2 1/2 years. We have lived together for 2.
We met on tinder quite quickly. I had downloaded it after I ended things with my ex-bf and he was one of my first few matches.
He is kind, and generous, and I like to think we compliment each other. I take things pretty seriously while he’s pretty laid back.
When we first started dating, I asked him to delete tinder. He told me no, he wouldn’t. I assumed that this was because our relationship was still new and that I was asking for too much too quickly.
After some time, I talked about how it makes me uncomfortable that he updates his tinder so often, and he repeatedly tells me he won’t delete it. He needs to be able to “maintain his online image “.
Okay, I can accept that but updating photos every now and again? He changes his bio and is still putting out signals that he’s single. I talk to him again, he says it’s not a big deal. He just keeps it to talk to friends he’s made on the app. I drop it, and forget about it.
We’ve had that fight several times. Last time he edited it, it said “looking for love”. This time when he edited it, he was talking about wanting to have kids in the future. Maybe I shouldn’t have looked, he said it’s “invading his privacy” in the past. I did it while he was gone, and I waited for him to come home.
As soon as he walked in the door I cut him off and told him “I saw your tinder”. We sat down and talked after I cried a bit. He said it wasn’t a big deal, he just goes on there to swipe and see who was interested in him and they just send a few messages back and forth.
He mentions that he doesn’t even have the time to do anything with anyone else, and that he had over 200 matches when we first met. We fought some more, and I asked him to at least take the bio down. He said he would. That was last night, and he hasn’t yet.
I do not have concrete evidence that he is cheating but shouldn’t he not be letting people think that he is still single?
I haven’t met my ex in about 6 years and honestly I’m quite relieved. I’d thought at the time we’d see each other more often as we were going to the same course in uni and I guess working in the same sector, but thankfully I haven’t seen her since.
She cheated on me with some guy she met on tinder, and it continued until one of her friends told me about it. I found out later that the friend was also sleeping with the guy and she just wanted him for herself.
The guy was in NS at the time and I was waiting to enlist. So ironic that this was pretty much a reversal of whatever usually happens in the stereotypes.
I only found out because someone else wanted to sleep with him. I couldn’t sleep that night and that next day I asked to meet her. Surprisingly she asked to break up with me the first thing she said. Apparently I wasn’t good enough for her in various aspects and she even said that I was “too small” for her. She said that I was “lame” and unlike her new guy who’s like fit and has a cool role in the army as a medic my clerk job was embarrassing but like who even says that? Isn’t that just looking for any excuse to break up?
I heard she continued sleeping with the guy for a while up till about midway through uni. I haven’t dated since. It was hard enough to get a girlfriend the first time and honestly I don’t have much faith in it anymore.
Life’s a B.
Here are what netizens think:
I am sorry to hear what happened to you. I work on cars for a living, Sometimes the size doesn’t matter, but a 6.3 liter AMG is an unforgettable ride. Some are 3.8 v6 twin turbo that murders the life out of a 6.3 na.. so size doesn’t really matter, just up your turbo size, if a 2.0 fitted with a big enough turbo, anything is possible.. then there are the 1.4 non turbo cars.. just need to find the right driver for any of the cars.. if you once drive a 2.0 turbo and suddenly you drive a 1.4, do you think you will miss the 2.0 once awhile?
Dating is a process of developing familiarity as a means of gauging if the other party would make a suitable life partner. In your case, this process culminated in the exit of a cruel and spiteful cheater from your life. Isn’t that a good thing?
Everything is relative.What is small for a volcanic opening, is perfect for a container of spice.
Couples who have been married for a long time will tend to have moments where they are unhappy with their other half over all sorts of reasons.
Often, this will always lead to arguments.
Recently, a post that seems to be a rant by a particular netizen was seen online and judging from the content of the rant, the netizen seems to have had enough with men who always kpkb about their wife.
Here is how the rant looks like:
‘Husbands… They’re always so quick to make the disclaimer that they do their fair share of the housework, and I’m just so…doubtful.
They always talk about how much dishes and laundry they do. Come on, it is just dishes and laundry. Have you ever scrubbed a shower or a toilet? Taken out the toilet trash? Vacuumed a sofa? Cleared the pet’s poop?
Dishes and laundry do not make the house clean so shut the F- up.
They also refuse to accept the fact that maybe their wife takes on too much of the load because they don’t take on enough.
They always expect to be massaged or get their ‘well deserved’ booty call just for doing part of the housework.‘
