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☆ Singapore transport minister resigns after being charged with corruption in a first for the city state
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Singapore’s Transport Minister S. Iswaran has resigned after being charged with corruption on Thursday, the prime minister’s office said, confirming a historic development for a city state that prides itself on having a squeaky-clean government. The charges against Iswaran are part of the biggest corruption probe to engulf Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in decades. Singapore’s anti-graft agency, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), which reports directly to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been leading investigations into Iswaran’s case. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister and founding father. The corruption probe into Ong and Iswaran comes at a sensitive time for Lee as he plans to step aside after nearly 20 years leading the country.

Persons: Iswaran, Tan Kiat Pheng, Ong Beng Seng, Ong, Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, ” Lee, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s, ” Eugene Tan, ” Organizations: CNN, Singapore’s, Iswaran, Action Party, Singapore, Prix, Practices, Party, Government, Ong, Singapore Management University Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore's prime minister pledges 'zero tolerance' after recent wave of political scandals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong vowed Wednesday to uphold "zero tolerance" toward any wrongdoing by government officials. His comments came after a wave of political scandals rocked the Southeast Asian nation in recent weeks, tarnishing the pristine image that underpins its standing as a global financial center. "The founding generation built up Singapore and entrusted it to our generation in good shape," Lee said in a parliamentary address Wednesday. Lee said actions taken after these scandals showed two aspects of how his PAP government works. "One, when there is a suspicion or allegation of wrongdoing in the discharge of official duties, especially possible corruption, there is zero tolerance," he said in the first parliamentary session after these events,.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, Iswaran, Ong Beng Seng, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Shanmugam, Vivian Balakrishnan Organizations: Central Business District, Party, Home Affairs Minister, Foreign Locations: Bay, Singapore

☆ Why are political scandals and corruption in Singapore so rare?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Nessa Anwar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A series of political scandals has rocked Singapore in recent weeks, from corruption probes to inappropriate relationships among politicians. These challenges have affected the ruling party as well as the largest opposition party. Shortly after the Ridout saga, Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran and hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng — known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state — were arrested as part of a corruption probe. Felix Tan, a political analyst in Singapore, explained the brouhaha over the recent scandals: "[Singapore is] almost a perfect exemplar for all countries to be. Watch the video to find out why corruption and political scandal are rare in Singapore, and what it means for the country.

Persons: Singapore's, S, Ong Beng, —, Felix Tan Organizations: Singapore Transport, Formula, Action Party, Workers ' Party Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore's 'squeaky clean' image takes a beating as scandals rock the government
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

watch nowOn Monday, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he decided the incumbent speaker of the Singapore's Parliament Tan Chuan Jin "had to go." Lee Hsien Loong Singapore prime ministerSingaporeans, who are not used to political scandals, have taken to memes to express themselves. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) shaking hands with a PAP supporter during a May election rally. SIMIN WANG | AFP | Getty ImagesThe prime minister sought to quickly control the damage, emphasizing the government's zero-tolerance on corruption to allay public concerns. The prime minister is seeking to hand over power to the next generation of leaders in the near future.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Ang Mo, Suhaimi Abdullah, Eugene Tan, Tan Ern Ser, Tan Chuan Jin, Tan, Cheng Li Hui, SMU's Tan, CNBC's, Ong Beng Seng, Felix Tan, NTU's Tan, SIMIN WANG, Lee Organizations: Action Party, Getty, Singapore Management University, CNBC, Party, National University of Singapore, Singapore's, Public Service, Nanyang Technological University, NUS, Singapore, AFP Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Asia, Lee Hsien Loong Singapore

☆ Singapore’s clean reputation gets a timely test
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, July 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Singapore could turn a governance crisis into an opportunity. Its transport minister S. Iswaran and Ong Beng Seng, the property billionaire credited with bringing Formula One to the city, were arrested and released on bail last week. The rare high-profile probe involving a public official by the hub’s anti-graft agency is a timely test of the Asian centre’s willingness to act tough on corruption. It's been six days since Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed the investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and the exact details remain unclear. S. Iswaran and businessman Ong Beng Seng were arrested on July 11 and subsequently released on bail, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, It's, Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, Ong, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Formula, Practices, Beijing, DBS, Hotel Properties, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Asia, Hong Kong, COMO

☆ Two Singapore lawmakers resign after admitting to 'inappropriate relationship'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's prime minister and leader of the People's Action Party (PAP), walks and talks with people in Singapore on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Singapore's government was dealt a further blow on Monday, following the resignations of two lawmakers from the ruling party who admitted to an "inappropriate relationship" with each other. "Besides Mr Tan's recent unparliamentary language used, there is also the issue of his inappropriate relationship with fellow PAP MP Ms Cheng Li Hui. This is, in comparison, the more serious matter because he was the Speaker and she an MP, and there should not have not been a relationship," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a press conference on Monday. Sudden resignations of senior PAP party members are rare in Singapore, where the ruling party has been in power since 1959, before the city-state's independence in 1965.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Tan's, Ong Beng Seng, Iswaran, Lee, CPIB Organizations: People's Action Party, Party Locations: Singapore

SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Two senior lawmakers from Singapore's ruling party have resigned over their "inappropriate relationship", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday, the latest high-profile scandal in a city-state otherwise known for its political stability. Resignations of senior PAP members are rare in Singapore, where the party has been in power since 1959, before the country's independence in 1965. Separately, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) said on Monday it was looking into an "inappropriate exchange" between two of its senior members after a video surfaced online that appeared to show them holding hands in a restaurant. Events like these are unusual in Singapore, which prides itself on being corruption-free and holding politicians to high moral standards. Political scientist Chong Ja Ian at the National University of Singapore said Monday's developments were "relatively controllable issues" that would not affect Singapore's political stability.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Cheng, Ong Beng Seng, Chong Ja Ian, Chong, Chen Lin, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Action Party, Workers ' Party, WP, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

Hong Kong CNN —A corruption investigation in Singapore has expanded to include Ong Beng Seng, a hotel tycoon best known for bringing the Formula 1 Grand Prix to the wealthy city state. The agency had earlier launched an investigation into a case involving the transport minister, in a rare corruption probe involving a cabinet-level official. Ong’s company said he had posted bail of 100,000 Singapore dollars ($76,000) after being given a notice of arrest. Ong is also the sole shareholder of the Singapore Grand Prix, organizer of the marquee sporting event, his spokesperson confirmed to CNN. Rare caseThe news about Ong emerged just days after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong asked the transport minister to take a leave of absence.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ong, “, Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, CPIB, Lee, Eugene Tan, Bernie Ecclestone, Hoch, Lawrence Wong, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hotel Properties, Practices, Transport, Singapore, Prix, CNN, Singapore Management University, Party Locations: Hong Kong, Singapore, Properties, Maldives, Malaysia, London, Bangkok, Abu

☆ Singaporean billionaire given arrest notice in anti-graft probe involving country's transport minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Singapore's anti-graft agency issued an arrest notice for billionaire Ong Beng Seng as part of its investigation involving transport minister S Iswaran. Ong, who is managing director of Singapore-listed hotel owner and operator Hotel Properties Limited , has been asked to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran. In a filing, HPL said no charges have been filed against Ong and that he is fully cooperating with the agency. The company added that Ong has provided requested information, but is unable to provide further details at this point. HPL's portfolio includes 38 hotels and resorts in 15 countries, operating under brands including Four Seasons, Intercontinental Hotels and Marriott International.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Ong, HPL, Mr Ong Organizations: supremo, Marina, Circuit, Hotel Properties, Practices, Intercontinental Hotels, Marriott Locations: Singapore

☆ Singapore property tycoon cooperating with anti-graft agency - company
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng walks out of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau headquarters in Singapore July 12, 2023. SINGAPORE, July 14 (Reuters) - A Singapore-based property tycoon known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state is cooperating with the anti-graft agency in a case launched earlier this week involving the transport minister, his company said on Friday. The CPIB earlier this week said it had launched an investigation into Iswaran, but did not provide further details. The case is a rare high-level probe in Singapore, a top Asian financial hub that prides itself on a corruption-free government. Ong, who was travelling on Friday, will surrender his passport to the CPIB upon his return to Singapore, his company said.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ho Peng Yew, Iswaran, Lee Hsien Loong, Ong, Christina Ong, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Practices, Singapore Press Holding Media, Formula, Properties, Reuters, Concorde, London Stock, Forbes, Thomson Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, COMO, Malaysia

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