A Singapore minister is charged with corruption, accused of taking tickets to F1 races and musicals

By EILEEN NG
Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Singaporean Transport Minister S. Iswaran was charged Thursday in the first ministerial corruption case ever seen in the Asian financial hub known for squeaky clean government. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said in a statement Thursday that Iswaran, 61, faced a total of 27 charges. Charge sheets showed Iswaran alleged obtained gratification in kind worth nearly SG$385,000 ($286,000) between 2015 and 2022 from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, in part to help Ong advance his business interests. Iswaran is accused of taking free tickets to Singapore’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, football matches and musicals in the U.K. as bribes. He is the first minister to be charged for graft in Singapore, an embarrassment to the long-ruling government. He has pleaded not guilty.