Singapore Officials Question Minister, Billionaire Hotelier in Rare Corruption Probe

By Chun Han Wong

SINGAPORE--A high-profile corruption probe is rocking Singapore's reputation for clean government, after antigraft officials called in the city-state's transport minister and a billionaire hotelier for questioning.

The probe, announced this week, marks the first corruption investigation known to involve a Singapore government minister in nearly four decades. Speculation about the probe has rippled across social media, while local officials rushed to reiterate their zero-tolerance stance on graft and assure citizens that they will conduct a thorough investigation.

Singapore's prime minister said he has put the transport chief, S. Iswaran, on leave while the city-state's anticorruption agency conducts its probe.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, or CPIB, has also sought information from hotelier Ong Beng Seng over his interactions with Iswaran, and issued a notice of arrest to Ong, according to a corporate filing issued Friday by Hotel Properties where Ong serves as managing director. Ong has posted bail, provided the information requested by the CPIB, and "is cooperating fully" with the agency, the filing said.

The CPIB said Wednesday it is interviewing Iswaran as part of an "investigation into a case uncovered by the CPIB," but declined to provide further details. The prime minister's office told local media on Thursday that Iswaran will remain in Singapore and have "no access to any official resources and government buildings" during his leave of absence.

Authorities haven't accused Iswaran or Ong of wrongdoing. According to the corporate filing, Ong was unable to provide further details "as this is an ongoing matter."

Speaking to local media on Wednesday, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the ruling People's Action Party will be "upfront and transparent" about the investigation.

"We will not sweep anything under the carpet, even if they are potentially embarrassing or damaging to the PAP and to the government," he said.

Corruption cases involving senior government officials are rare in Singapore, which enjoys a reputation for probity that has helped make the Southeast Asian financial center a darling of investors around the world.

Singapore is widely regarded as one of the world's least-corrupt nations. Corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Singapore as Asia's least corrupt country in 2022 and fifth globally behind Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Norway.

Write to Chun Han Wong at chunhan.wong@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 13, 2023 20:45 ET (00:45 GMT)

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