SINGAPORE, Oct 7 — Former transport minister S Iswaran arrived at the State Courts today to begin his 12-month jail term after deciding not to appeal his sentence.
Hours before his surrender, Iswaran posted a statement on Facebook, expressing deep regret and apologising unreservedly to all Singaporeans for his actions, according to a report published in Channel News Asia today.
“I accept that as a Minister what I did was wrong under Section 165. I accept full responsibility for my actions and apologise unreservedly to all Singaporeans,” Iswaran wrote.
“It was important to me that the charges were amended to reflect my wrongdoing under Section 165 of the Penal Code for accepting gifts as a public servant.”
Iswaran, 62, arrived at the courts around 3.30pm in a white Toyota Alphard, accompanied by a relative.
Dressed casually in a navy shirt and dark pants, he entered the building without answering questions from the media.
However, in a brief moment of concern, he checked on a member of the media who had tripped before proceeding to the fourth-floor mentions court.
A small group of his supporters, including his bailor and lawyers from Davinder Singh Chambers, were present at the court to greet him.
Iswaran, who had appeared somber in previous court appearances, seemed more at ease today.
He exchanged hugs, shook hands with his legal team, and expressed appreciation for their support, particularly to lawyer Navin Thevar.
In his Facebook statement, Iswaran also acknowledged the emotional toll the case had taken on his family.
“My family’s well-being and the emotional toll on my loved ones of a long trial extending well into 2025, and possibly beyond, has also weighed heavily on me. The past 15 months have already been most difficult. With this decision, I hope that we can put the pain and anguish behind us, move forward and rebuild our lives together.”
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months in prison on October 3 for receiving gifts and valuables from business figures, including Singapore GP majority shareholder Ong Beng Seng and construction tycoon Lum Kok Seng.
He admitted to obtaining S$403,300 (RM1.3 million) worth of valuables over seven years, including Formula 1 tickets, football match passes, alcohol, and a high-end bicycle.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Iswaran thanked his supporters, friends, family, and legal team for their unwavering backing.
“Serving my constituents and Singaporeans over the past three decades has been the greatest honor of my life,” he wrote. “As this chapter comes to a close, my family and I look to the future with gratitude and renewed hope.”
Iswaran will now serve his sentence as Ong Beng Seng faces related charges of abetting obstruction of justice.
However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers confirmed that no charges would be filed against Lum Kok Seng, managing director of Lum Chang Holdings.
Iswaran’s legal team had initially requested for the jail term to be deferred to today, allowing him time to make a final decision on whether to appeal, but he ultimately chose not to proceed with one.