Singapore: A billionaire hotel tycoon and Singapore's transport minister have both been detained in connection with a rare top-level corruption investigation, according to the nation's anti-graft body.
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, also known as CPIB, issued an emailed statement confirming S. Iswaran's arrest on July 11, 2023, and his subsequent release on bail.
In connection with the investigation, hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore's wealthiest people, was also detained on the same day and released on bail, according to the bureau.
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In an effort to prevent corruption, cabinet ministers are paid salaries that are competitive with the highest earners in the private sector.
After it was made public that Ong was a target of the investigation, the powerful anti-graft bureau's inquiry into the transport chief was expanded.
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Ong is the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, a company that owns a number of luxurious resorts and hotels spread throughout Asia and the Pacific. The company reported on Friday that Ong had been issued a "notice of arrest" by the CPIB and had posted bail in a filing with the Singapore Exchange.
Ong was given permission to leave Singapore on Friday, despite the fact that people who are detained typically have their passports impounded. The CPIB noted that it evaluates requests for international travel "on a case-by-case basis."
The CPIB claimed to have "acceded to Ong's request to travel overseas," but raised his bail to Sg$100,000 ($76,000). Ong must report to the CPIB and give the bureau his passport upon his return, the CPIB added.
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Ong, a Malaysian permanent resident of Singapore, is recognized for his assistance in securing the Formula One Grand Prix for Singapore in 2008. The contract to host the F1 race through 2028 was extended last year by his private company Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board.
The CPIB reported that Iswaran was "currently assisting" an ongoing investigation, so Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had earlier in the week ordered him to take a leave of absence. Lee claimed that the anti-graft organization had requested his consent for a formal investigation that would involve questioning Iswaran and other individuals.