SINGAPORE – The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) received fewer reports in 2023 than in the previous year, but a higher proportion of the cases were subjected to investigation.
Most of the cases involved the private sector. The public sector probes included high-profile cases such as the ongoing investigation into former transport minister S. Iswaran and his alleged dealings with two businessmen.
Iswaran has been charged in court with a number of corruption-related offences.
In a statement on April 30, the anti-graft agency said that of the 215 corruption-related reports it received in 2023, it investigated 81 cases or 38 per cent of them.
This is higher than the average 34 per cent investigated between 2019 and 2022.
CPIB said a report is registered for investigation if the information received is pursuable, which is determined by the quality of relevant information provided.
“Investigative inquiries and intelligence probes by CPIB also uncovered further information that enabled a higher percentage of reports to be registered for investigation,” said the bureau of the greater proportion of cases investigated.
Of the cases registered for investigation, 86 per cent were from the private sector and 14 per cent, or 11 cases, were from the public sector. This is similar to figures in 2022, CPIB said.
The public sector cases include the one involving Iswaran, who is facing a total of 35 charges. The former MP in West Coast GRC is the first person to be charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence for a public servant to accept gifts from someone involved with him in an official capacity.
He has been accused of taking bribes from billionaire Ong Beng Seng as inducement for advancing the hotel and property tycoon’s business interests in relation to agreements between race promoter Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board.
Iswaran is said to have also obtained items such as a Brompton bicycle, golf clubs and bottles of whisky from Mr Lum Kok Seng, the managing director of property management, interior design and construction company Lum Chang, between November 2021 and November 2022.
Iswaran has indicated that he will fight the charges.