PM Lee to give ministerial statement in parliament on Iswaran probe and MPs' extramarital affair

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will deliver a ministerial statement when parliament sits on Wednesday (Aug 2), regarding the corruption probe involving Transport Minister S Iswaran as well as the resignation of two ruling party lawmakers over a cheating scandal.

Mr Iswaran was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Jul 11. He is out on bail and has been placed on a leave of absence.

Less than a week later, former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament (MP) Cheng Li Hui resigned from parliament and the People's Action Party (PAP) on Jul 17 after it was revealed that the pair had been having an extramarital affair.

A number of MPs from both sides of the aisle have also filed questions on the CPIB probe, for Wednesday's parliamentary session.

MP Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) asked for the timeline of the investigation and about the gap between the Prime Minister giving his concurrence for the opening of formal investigations on Jul 6, and the actual commencement of investigations on Jul 11.

Dr Tan was one of several PAP and opposition Workers' Party (WP) MPs who asked questions on the timing of announcements related to the probe, and why Mr Iswaran's arrest were not made public immediately.

Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) also asked about the types of CPIB investigations which require the Prime Minister's concurrence.

MP Louis Chua (WP-Sengkang) filed a similar question on CPIB's obligations, and asked if there have been instances where the Prime Minister did not give permission for CPIB to investigate a matter.

MP Don Wee (PAP-Chua Chu Kang) asked why Mr Iswaran was placed on a leave of absence while ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan continued with their duties while assisting with CPIB investigations regarding their rental of state properties at Ridout Road.

MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) asked about available avenues for whistleblowers in ministries, and for details of cases investigated by CPIB through such channels.

PSP's other NCMP Hazel Poa also asked about the measures in place to protect civil servants who choose not to follow inappropriate or non-official instructions from political office holders.

Questions have been asked about Formula 1 and a trial in the United Kingdom involving its former CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who allegedly failed to declare assets of about S$650 million in a Singapore bank account.

CPIB's probe into Mr Iswaran also involves billionaire Ong Beng Seng, the man widely credited with bringing F1 racing to Singapore. 

MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) asked for a breakdown of the process behind awarding the contract to run the F1 Singapore Grand Prix for another seven years, and if the Ministry of Trade and Industry was reviewing this contract "in light of new information that has emerged relating to possible conflicts of interest in the decision-making process".

MP Sharael Taha (PAP-Pasir Ris-Punggol) similarly asked if the CPIB investigation would have any impact on the contract extension.

MP He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang) asked if the government has received any requests from UK law enforcement agencies regarding the trial of Mr Ecclestone.

Fellow WP member Mr Chua, meanwhile, asked if the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) was satisfied with anti-money laundering precautions put in place at the bank involved in the case.

Additionally, a question was filed by MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang) on alleged transactions over no-public tender leases of Maldivian islands made by Mr Ong in 2014 and 2015.

Other matters to be discussed in parliament on Wednesday include the transportation of workers in lorries, MAS' losses in the last financial year and the Auditor-General's Office report on public agencies in Singapore for the last financial year.

In other parliamentary business, PSP's NCMPs have filed a motion on the impartiality of the Speaker of Parliament. The wording of the motion is: "That this House reaffirms its commitment to the need for the Speaker of Parliament to be independent and impartial and for parliament to be a fair arena for all."

MP Seah Kian Peng (PAP-Marine Parade), meanwhile, will be nominated as Singapore's new Speaker of Parliament.

The busy sitting will also include the swearing-in of eight new Nominated MPs along with second-term NMP Raj Joshua Thomas.