S Iswaran, who is he? Indian-Origin Singapore’s Transport Minister is the Subject of a RARE Corruption Probe

Indian-born S Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister of Transport, has been requested to take a leave of absence by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong due to an ongoing anti-graft investigation.

A case was found, and the Corrupt Practices inquiry Bureau (CPIB) of the nation is now aiding the inquiry. In its statement released on Wednesday, the FBI did not go into any detail on the investigation’s nature.

The transport minister, Iswaran, and other people will need to be examined by CPIB as part of the probe, the prime minister said in a separate statement.

What you need to know about S Iswaran and the charges brought against him is provided below:

Iswaran has been told to take a leave of absence until the inquiry is finished, according to the prime minister of Singapore. Lee said that last Wednesday, the CPIB director gave him a briefing on a case that the agency had discovered.
Prime Minister Lee, however, has not made clear the purpose or objective of the probe.
Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat would serve as acting minister for transportation during Iswaran’s absence, according to reports.
The anti-graft agency’s investigation into this case is one of the few to include a cabinet minister in almost 40 years.
The CPIB director requested the PM’s approval before starting a formal probe. The anti-graft organization, which reports to the Prime Minister’s Office, is led by Denis Tang.
In order to establish the facts, the truth, and to defend the rule of law, the CPIB said that it would fully examine this matter.
“CPIB recognizes the interest shown in this matter by the general public as a result of CPIB’s interview with a minister. CPIB is unable to provide further information since investigations are underway, the organization stated. Additionally, it said that corruption is treated with “strict zero-tolerance” in Singapore. The CPIB will not hesitate to take action against any parties engaged in corrupt practices and will conduct unbiased investigations into every matter.
Iswaran, 61, represents the People’s Action Party (PAP), the party in power in the affluent city state since its independence.
He won a seat in the legislature in 1997, and in 2006, he was assigned to the cabinet.
According to Bloomberg, Iswaran’s top priorities as minister of transportation were to strengthen Singapore’s position as a marine gateway and reestablish Singapore as an aviation hub after the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to the Singaporean official website, he worked on a number of government parliamentary committees before being appointed to the Cabinet in 2006, and from September 2004 to June 2006, he was the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
At the University of Adelaide, he majored in Economics and received a First Class Honours degree. He also has a Harvard University Master of Public Administration degree.
Investigations into corruption involving ministers are uncommon in Singapore, since government officials are well-paid to deter wrongdoing. Many cabinet members earn more than $750,000 annually (about Rs 6.15 crore).
The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Singapore as the fifth least corrupt nation in the world.