Singapore PM Lee bars Indian-origin Minister from duty, slashes his pay amid corruption probe
The Hindu
PM Lee bars Indian-origin Minister from duty, slashes salary after corruption probe. PM Lee admits he should have forced the issue earlier to protect families of two MPs involved in extramarital affair. CPIB investigating Iswaran, probe ongoing. AG to decide on case outcome. PM urges public to refrain from speculation.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on August 2 barred Indian-origin Transport Minister S. Iswaran from duty and slashed his salary after he was arrested last month in relation to a corruption probe.
Mr. Lee was speaking in Parliament on a recent spate of scandals that has rocked Singapore, a country otherwise known for its corruption-free and stable politics.
He spoke on the ongoing corruption probe involving 61-year-old Mr. Iswaran and the resignations of two Members of Parliament (MPs), former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui, over their extramarital affair.
Mr. Iswaran's pay was cut to $6,300 per month until further notice, Mr. Lee said.
According to the Public Service Division, as of 2023, the benchmark level of a minister's monthly salary stands at $41,000, working out to an annual salary of $820,000.
Mr. Iswaran was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on July 11. He is out on bail and has been placed on a leave of absence.
CPIB's probe into Mr. Iswaran also involves billionaire Ong Beng Seng, the man widely credited with bringing Formula-1 racing to Singapore.
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