Singapore Ex-Minister Faces Possible Jail

Iswaran pleads guilty to 5 reduced charges, corruption charge dropped

By: Toh Han Shih

S Iswaran, one of three key players to bring Formula One racing to Singapore, with its glamor and glitz associated with thousands of international visitors and generating as much as S$150 million from tourism annually, may possibly be only the second Singaporean minister to be jailed in nearly 50 years when he is expected to be sentenced on October 3.

On the first day of his trial in the Singapore High Court on September 24, the former transport minister pleaded guilty to and was convicted of four charges of receiving more than S$400,00 in gifts from Ong Beng Seng, a Singapore-based Malaysian tycoon, and Lum Kok Seng, a local construction boss, according to the Attorney General.

Iswaran also pleaded guilty to and was convicted of one charge of obstruction of justice, brought about after authorities found he had flown Ong's private jet to Doha. Iswaran subsequently tried to avoid being investigated by paying for the trip's expenses, generating additional charge…