Corruption case involving a former Singaporean transport minister expanded with more charges

livemint.com:

first hauled to court two months ago on two graft charges, 24 charges of receiving gifts as a public servant and one of obstructing justice. Iswaran, 61, pleaded not guilty to obtaining 10 bottles of whisky, 12 bottles of wine and other items from November 2021 to November 2022 from Lum Kok Seng. The items were worth a total of nearly 19,000 Singapore dollars ($14,000).

Lum Kok Seng is the managing director of Lum Chang Holdings, the parent company of Lum Chang Building Contractors, which has work contracts with the government. Although the contracts were awarded before Iswaran became transport minister in 2021, the charge sheets said he was aware of Lum's business dealings with his ministry. The Attorney-General's Chambers said it will decide whether to charge Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed and based on the evidence presented in court.

Iswaran resigned in January, just before he was charged. At his first court appearance he was alleged to have received goods worth nearly SG$385,000 ($286,000) between 2015 and 2022 from Malaysian property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, some in return for helping the Singapore-based businessman advance his business interests. The gifts included free tickets for Singapore’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, as well as football matches and musicals in the U.K.

Ong owns the right to the local F1 race, and Iswaran was chairman of and later adviser to the Grand Prix’s steering committee. Similarly, the AGC says it will decide whether to take action against Ong after the trial ends. Singapore ministers are among the most well-paid in the world.