S. Iswaran

Subramaniam Iswaran[4] (Tamil: சுப்பிரமணியம் ஈஸ்வரன், romanized: Cuppiramaṇiyam Īsvaraṉ; born 1962), commonly known as S. Iswaran, is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Minister for Transport since 2021 and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations since 2018.[2] A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the West Coast division of West Coast GRC since 2001.

The Honourable
S. Iswaran
சுப்பிரமணியம் ஈஸ்வரன்
Iswaran in 2016
Minister for Transport
Assumed office
15 May 2021[lower-alpha 1]
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byOng Ye Kung
Succeeded byChee Hong Tat (acting)
Minister for Communications and Information
In office
1 May 2018 – 14 May 2021
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byYaacob Ibrahim
Succeeded byJosephine Teo
Minister for Trade and Industry
(Industry)
In office
1 October 2015 – 30 April 2018
Serving with Lim Hng Kiang (Trade)
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byLim Hng Kiang
Succeeded byChan Chun Sing
(as Minister for Trade and Industry)
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
In office
21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byLim Hwee Hua
Succeeded byDesmond Lee
Josephine Teo
Second Minister for Home Affairs
In office
21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015
Serving with Masagos Zulkifli
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
MinisterTeo Chee Hean
Preceded byK. Shanmugam
Succeeded byDesmond Lee
Second Minister for Trade and Industry
In office
21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
MinisterLim Hng Kiang
Succeeded byTan See Leng
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for West Coast GRC
(West Coast)
Assumed office
3 November 2001
Preceded byWan Soon Bee
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for West Coast GRC
(Pasir Panjang)
In office
2 January 1997 – 18 October 2001
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born1962[2]
Madras, India[3]
Political partyPeople's Action Party
SpouseKay Mary Taylor
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Adelaide (BEc)
Harvard University (MPA)

Iswaran had previously served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2011 and 2015, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) between 2015 and 2018, and Minister for Communications and Information between 2018 and 2021.

Prior to entering politics, Iswaran worked in various organisations in both the public and private sectors, including Temasek Holdings and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He made his political debut in the 1997 general election as part of a four-member PAP team contesting in West Coast GRC and won 70.14% of the vote. He has also held directorships in various organisations throughout his political career.

In July 2023, Iswaran was summoned to assist in an unspecified corruption investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), and had since been ordered to go on a leave of absence, with a reduced pay and no access to government offices, until the investigation was complete.

Education

Iswaran attended Saint Andrew's School and National Junior College[5] before graduating from the University of Adelaide with first class honours, where he read economics, of which was provided for by a Colombo Plan scholarship.[3] He also holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.[6]

Career

Prior to entering politics, Iswaran was Senior Vice President and Managing Director at Temasek Holdings (2003–2006), Director for International Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), and Director of Strategic Development at Singapore Technologies (1996–1998).[7][8]

Throughout his political career, Iswaran concurrently held directorships in several organisations, including Quintiles Transnational, Sunningdale Tech,[9] Shin Corporation,[10] SciGen, PSA International, Sembcorp Industries,[11][12] and Hyflux.[8]

Political career
Minister for Transport S. Iswaran visiting Orchard MRT station at the TEL 3 open house

Iswaran made his political debut in the 1997 general election when he contested as part of a four-member People's Action Party (PAP) team in West Coast GRC and won with 70.14% of the vote, becoming a Member of Parliament representing the Pasir Panjang ward. He switched to representing the West Coast ward of West Coast GRC from the 2001 general election onwards.

From 1 September 2004 to 19 April 2006, Iswaran was Deputy Speaker of Parliament. On 1 July 2006, he was appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

After the 2006 general election, on 1 April 2008, Iswaran was promoted to Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. On 1 April 2009, he was given an additional appointment as Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Education.

Following the 2011 general election, Iswaran was promoted to full Minister in the Cabinet and appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs, and Second Minister for Trade and Industry. After the 2015 general election, on 1 October 2015, he relinquished his three positions and took up the portfolio of Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) alongside Lim Hng Kiang, who was Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade). On 1 May 2018, he became Minister for Communications and Information, however he did continue in the Ministry of Trade and Industry as Minister In-Charge of Trade Relations.

After the 2020 general election, Iswaran continued as Minister in the Ministry of Communications and Information. On 15 May 2021, after a Cabinet reshuffle, Iswaran became Minister for Transport while continuing his appointment as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.

Corruption allegations

On 11 July 2023, Iswaran was arrested and released on bail. He also had his passport impounded.[13]

On 12 July 2023, Iswaran and other individuals were summoned to assist in an unspecified corruption investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Upon being briefed on the investigation by the CPIB, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong instructed Iswaran to go on a leave of absence until the end of the investigations; Chee Hong Tat was appointed as the Acting Transport Minister.[14]

Iswaran's case is the first high-profile graft investigation involving a minister since November 1986, when Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan was investigated by the CPIB for bribery allegations, although Teh committed suicide a month later before he could be formally charged.[15][16] The next day, the government announced that Iswaran would not have access to government offices and had to remain in Singapore until the investigations were completed.

On 2 August 2023, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Iswaran had been interdicted with a reduced pay of S$8,500 as per civil service guidelines, given that there are no specific provisions that cover ministers under investigation. Iswaran still draws a monthly salary of S$16,000 as an MP as Parliament had not tabled a motion to remove it.

Personal life

Iswaran is married to Kay Mary Taylor. They have a daughter and two sons.[17]

Notes
  1. On leave since 12 July 2023. During this period, Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat has been serving as Acting Minister of Transport until the investigations are over.[1]

References
  1. "Transport Minister S Iswaran assisting in CPIB investigation, instructed to take leave of absence by PM Lee". Channel News Asia. 12 July 2023. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  2. "PARL | MP". www.parliament.gov.sg.
  3. "Scholar with late nights ahead". The Straits Times.
  4. "Alumni on the move". University of Adelaide. Retrieved 12 July 2023. Subramaniam Iswaran [B Ec 1985, B Ec (Hons] 1986) will be appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Singapore Cabinet.
  5. "S Iswaran tells Mothership how to save a country in an unprecedented crisis: 1) Jobs 2) Jobs 3) Jobs". mothership.sg. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. Mahbubani, Kishore (2013). Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy: Building a Global Policy School in Asia. World Scientific: Singapore. p. 4. ISBN 978-9814417228.
  7. "S. Iswaran: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  8. "RESIGNATION OF S ISWARAN AS DIRECTOR" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 September 2017.
  9. "Resignation Of Non-Executive Director (2) Cessation Of Alternate Director". Archived from the original on 16 September 2017.
  10. "Shin Corporation Public Company Limited 2006 Annual Report" (PDF). p. 51. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2016.
  11. "SembCorp Industries Annual Report 2003". www.sembcorp.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  12. "Mr S Iswaran's Directorships" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2017.
  13. "Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran was arrested and released on bail as part of CPIB probe". CNA. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  14. "Transport Minister S Iswaran assisting in CPIB investigation, instructed to take leave of absence by PM Lee". Channel News Asia. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  15. "Transport Minister S Iswaran assisting with corruption probe in case uncovered by CPIB, placed on leave by PM Lee". TODAY. 12 July 2023.
  16. "Teh Cheang Wan case: No way a minister can avoid investigations". The Straits Times. 27 March 2015.
  17. A New Champion for the Eurasian Community Archived 28 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine The New Eurasian - April–June 2012 Issue
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