CPIB probe into Iswaran a ‘setback’ but Singapore system will emerge stronger: Tharman

SINGAPORE: Weighing in on the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) probe into Transport Minister S Iswaran, presidential hopeful Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Saturday (Jul 15) expressed his faith in the “Singapore system” to deal with setbacks and to emerge stronger from it.

“Singapore goes through ups and downs. Each time we hit a difficult patch, the good thing about Singapore is that we’ll make our way out of it. It will strengthen our system and we will become a better place,” he said.  

Mr Tharman, who was responding to journalists’ questions on the sidelines of a visit to Teck Whye Shopping Centre, was also asked whether the matter will affect the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) government. “That’s for the PAP to consider, I’m not in the PAP anymore. That’s a political question for the PAP to consider,” he said. 

Mr Iswaran and Hotel Properties Limited managing director Ong Beng Seng were arrested by the CPIB on Tuesday. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has instructed Mr Iswaran to take a leave of absence. 

As part of their bail conditions, both Mr Iswaran and Mr Ong’s passports were impounded. Mr Ong was granted a request to travel overseas with his bail quantum increased to S$100,000.

“Each time there’s a setback, treat the setback as an opportunity to strengthen the system to display full transparency,” said Mr Tharman.

Adding that the Singapore system “is set up to ensure that there’s no compromise when it comes to integrity”, he reiterated: “Every time the question comes up, anything to do with integrity, anything to do with incorruptibility, we take it seriously, the CPIB is given full rein, it does its work.”

The former Senior Minister also noted that there has never been a prime minister who prevented the CPIB from doing its work but added that “if ever the day should come, the President will be there”.

Calling himself an optimist, Mr Tharman said that he thinks Singapore will get past the case and the focus can then be shifted to “the issues that really matter to ordinary people”.

Nevertheless, he stressed that having confidence in the Singapore system is critical to the country’s future. This is “critical domestically” because it is what builds trust – trust between government and people, and also people’s trust in each other, he said. 

It is also what builds trust in Singapore internationally, he added. 

“It may not matter to some other countries, but Singapore is different and Singapore has to be different, because we don’t have much else,” he said.  “We’ve got our people with our skills and talents, much more now than when we started, but ultimately it’s the Singapore system.”