On Friday evening, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in Singapore informed Agence France-Presse that the Minister of Transport had been arrested after being suspended from duty, as part of an investigation targeting one of the city-state's wealthiest individuals.
The "Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau" told AFP that S. Iswaran "was arrested on July 11, 2023," and "was subsequently released on bail."
It added that Ong Beng Seng, a hotel tycoon and one of Singapore's wealthiest individuals, was also arrested on the same day and released on bail. However, the authority did not disclose details regarding the investigation in the world's least corrupt country.
Ministers in Singapore receive salaries that are among the highest in the private sector to combat corruption.
Despite confiscating the detainees' passports, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau confirmed that it is considering travel requests on a case-by-case basis.
It stated that it "approved Ong Beng Seng's request to travel abroad." Still, it clarified that it had raised his bail to 100,000 Singapore dollars (approximately 70,000 euros).
The authority indicated that "upon his return, he must report to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and surrender his passport."