Transport Minister Iswaran to remain in Singapore during leave of absence: PMO

SINGAPORE – Transport Minister S. Iswaran will remain in Singapore during his leave of absence, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Thursday.

A PMO spokesman said, in response to The Straits Times’ queries, that Mr Iswaran will have no access to any official resources and government buildings.

This comes following the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s (CPIB) announcement on Wednesday that Mr Iswaran – who is also the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations – is assisting with an investigation into a case it uncovered. It did not give details on the nature of the investigation.

Mr Iswaran, 61, has been instructed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to take leave of absence until the investigation is completed, the PMO said on Wednesday.

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Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday that the CPIB had been investigating a separate matter, which it updated PM Lee on in May. On July 5, it told PM Lee that it needed to interview Mr Iswaran as part of further investigations.

PM Lee gave his approval on July 6 for CPIB to conduct a formal investigation, which began on Tuesday. This would involve interviewing Mr Iswaran, as well as other people.

In Mr Iswaran’s absence, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will be Acting Minister for Transport. Mr Iswaran’s portfolio at the Ministry of Trade and Industry will be covered by other political officeholders.

Mr Iswaran’s leave of absence also applies to his duties as MP of West Coast GRC, where he has served for the last 26 years. Other MPs from the GRC – National Development Minister Desmond Lee, Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Ang Wei Neng and Ms Rachel Ong – will cover Mr Iswaran’s MP duties, including meet-the-people sessions.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.