3 days ago
Former transport minister S Iswaran released after serving sentence under home detention
SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S Iswaran has completed his sentence and is no longer under the custody of the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), according to an announcement made on 6 June 2025.
The SPS confirmed that Iswaran's emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme (HDS) has ended.
His release follows several months under the scheme, which allows inmates to reintegrate under supervision.
Iswaran was sentenced on 3 October 2024 to 12 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to five corruption-related charges.
He began serving his sentence on 7 October 2024 and was placed on home detention on 7 February 2025.
According to The Straits Times, his early release came under Singapore's Conditional Remission System (CRS) and HDS, both designed to promote rehabilitation while maintaining strict monitoring protocols.
SPS previously said Iswaran was assessed as suitable for early release due to his low risk of reoffending, good conduct in custody, and strong family support network.
The charges against him included accepting luxury benefits from Ong Beng Seng, chairman of Singapore GP, and David Lum Kok Seng, managing director of Lum Chang Holdings.
One of the key incidents was a trip to Doha in December 2022, valued at approximately S$20,850 (US$15,500), which was fully paid for by Ong.
Iswaran also faced charges of attempting to obstruct justice when he later reimbursed S$5,700 for a business-class flight initially paid by Ong.
This occurred after learning that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had seized a flight manifest as part of their inquiry.
Although prosecutors initially sought a jail term of six to seven months, the court imposed a 12-month sentence, citing the seriousness of the offences.
