Singapore, Oct 3 (Agency) A former cabinet minister of Singapore has been sentenced to 12 months in jail in a bribery case related to accepting expensive gifts, media reports said. Subramaniam Iswaran, 62, a former transport minister, pleaded guilty to taking gifts in excess of S$403,000 ($311,882; £234,586) while in public service and impeding the course of justice, BBC reported.
The presents included Formula One Grand Prix tickets, a Brompton T-line bicycle, wine, and a private plane flight. He is Singapore’s first political figure to stand trial in almost 50 years. Iswaran will go to jail on October 7. Justice Vincent Hoong, who presided over the case in Singapore’s High Court, highlighted that the former transport minister’s actions were an abuse of authority that undermined people’s faith in government institutions.