Iswaran Earned S’pore Minister’s Salary With S$192.5K MP Allowance, Had 27-Year Political Career

Everything You Need To Know About Former Minister S. Iswaran

Former Transport Minister and People’s Action Party (PAP) member S. Iswaran was handed 27 charges in court on Thursday (18 Jan).

Transport Minister S Iswaran Charged For Multiple Offences Including Corruption, Pleads Not Guilty

This comes after a months-long probe by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) into the 61-year-old ex-minister.

Prior to his resignation, Iswaran was in politics for about 27 years and was involved in major Singapore events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

He was also well-established in the private sector with links to Temasek Holdings, among others.

Iswaran earned minimum monthly salary of S$55K as minister in Singapore

While the CPIB investigations were ongoing, Iswaran drew a monthly salary of S$8,500.

This was a pay cut from his usual salary as a minister in Singapore.

Apart from that, he still drew from the annual MP allowance of S$192,500.

When he was serving as a minister, Iswaran was earning within the range of S$55,000 a month.

This is the reference monthly salary for an MR4 Minister, according to the Public Service Division.

An MR4 Minister is an entry-level minister. Meanwhile, more senior ministers are given the MR3, MR2 and MR1 grades.

Considering his 27-year political career, Iswaran was one of the more established and senior ministers in Singapore.

Had 27-year career in Singapore politics

Iswaran first made his political debut in 1997 as part of a four-member PAP Team for West Coast GRC.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that he was the youngest Member of Parliament (MP) in 1998.

He was then the Deputy Speaker from September 2004 to June 2006. Following this, Iswaran held a diverse portfolio of appointments in office.

In July 2006, he became the Minister of State for the Trade and Industry Ministry.

While he was holding this appointment, he was a proponent of hosting the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix in Singapore, where he estimated over S$250 million in tourism earnings, citing analysts in 2007.

Iswaran has also held appointments in the Education, Home Affairs, Communications and Information, and Transport ministries.

In 2015, he became Singapore’s Trade Minister, where he served for over two years.

The former minister sat alongside billionaire tycoon, Ong Beng Seng — who is also being investigated by the CPIB — in 2017 to announce the contract renewal for the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Iswaran was then appointed as the Minister for Communications and Information in 2018, and the Minister for Transport in 2021.

He belonged to a team of Singapore’s fourth-generation political leaders.

Iswaran has connections to Temasek Holdings & SINDA

Before joining politics, Iswaran was reportedly a civil servant for nine years. He also had a stint at NTUC.

He then joined the ST Group as a director for strategic development in 1996.

The former minister was the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) as well.

Outside of politics, he also held leadership positions in companies such as Temasek Holdings.

Iswaran joined the government’s main holding company in 1998, two years after his appointment at ST Group.

By that time, he was already a Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC.

In 2012, he was appointed to represent the Eurasian community in Cabinet — taking over George Yeo’s role.

Iswaran was reportedly “deeply honoured” by the appointment and credited the request to “old ties” with the Eurasian community.

He had worked with the Eurasian Association during his capacity as the CEO of SINDA.

Economics graduate was Colombo Plan Scholar

As an undergraduate student, the former minister studied Economics while on the Colombo Plan Scholarship at the University of Adelaide.

Scholarships under the Colombo Plan were set up in 1951 and given to top students from former British colonies such as Singapore.

They could then use these scholarships to study at universities that are based in Commonwealth countries such as Australia.

It was in Australia that Iswaran met his wife, Kay Mary Taylor, whom he wed in 1994.

They reportedly have three children together.

Former minister pleads not guilty to 27 charges after CPIB probe

On 18 Jan 2024, Iswaran was handed 27 charges at the Singapore State Courts. These charges include those of corruption.

Court documents reportedly show that most of his offences involve the billionaire property tycoon, Ong Beng Seng.

Iswaran has pleaded not guilty and rejected the allegations against him.

He has since resigned as a minister, MP, and PAP member.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that Iswaran wrote in his resignation on 16 Jan 2024.

On 17 Jan, he informed PM Lee that he would return his salary as minister and allowances as MP from the commencement of the CPIB’s investigations.

“My family and I decided to return these monies because we believe it is the right thing to do,” said Iswaran in a statement posted on Facebook.

“We cannot in all good conscience keep the monies when I was unable, on account of the investigations, to discharge my duties as a Minister and Member of Parliament in that period.”

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Featured image adapted from S Iswaran on Facebook and RM Shaik Dawood on Facebook.