SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will deliver a ministerial statement in parliament on Wednesday (Aug 2) regarding the corruption probe involving Transport Minister S Iswaran, as well as the resignation of two ruling party lawmakers over a cheating scandal.
Mr Iswaran was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Jul 11. He is out on bail and has been placed on a leave of absence.
Less than a week later, former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament (MP) Cheng Li Hui resigned from parliament and the People’s Action Party (PAP) on Jul 17 after it was revealed that the pair had been having an extramarital affair.
A number of MPs from both sides of the aisle have filed questions for the Prime Minister regarding the CPIB probe.
MP Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) asked for the timeline of the investigation and about the gap between the Prime Minister giving his concurrence for the opening of formal investigations on Jul 6, and the actual commencement of investigations on Jul 11.
Dr Tan was one of several PAP and opposition Workers’ Party (WP) MPs who asked questions on the timing of announcements related to the probe, and why Mr Iswaran’s arrest were not made public immediately.
Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) also asked about the types of CPIB investigations which require the Prime Minister’s concurrence.
MP Louis Chua (WP-Sengkang) filed a similar question on CPIB’s obligations, and asked if there have been instances where the Prime Minister did not give permission for CPIB to investigate a matter.
MP Don Wee (PAP-Chua Chu Kang) asked why Mr Iswaran was placed on a leave of absence while ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan continued with their duties while assisting with CPIB investigations regarding their rental of state properties at Ridout Road.
MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) asked about available avenues for whistleblowers in ministries, and for details of cases investigated by CPIB through such channels.
PSP’s other NCMP Hazel Poa also asked about the measures in place to protect civil servants who choose not to follow inappropriate or non-official instructions from political office holders.