S. Iswaran, Singapore’s former transport minister convicted of corruption, was placed on the home detention scheme on 7 February, 2025, allowing him to leave prison after serving only part of his 12-month sentence.
His early release comes under Singapore’s Conditional Remission System (CRS) and Home Detention Scheme (HDS), legal mechanisms designed to allow prisoners to reintegrate into society while being closely monitored.
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS), responding to queries from The Straits Times, confirmed that Iswaran was deemed eligible due to his “low risk of re-offending,” good conduct during incarceration, and strong family support.
Under the scheme, he will serve the remainder of his sentence at home under conditions that include electronic monitoring, curfews, reporting to authorities, and mandatory work or study.
Conditional Remission System and Home Detention Scheme
Singapore’s CRS allows prisoners to be released early if they demonstrate good behaviour during incarceration. Typically, prisoners can be released after serving two-thirds of their sentence, with the remaining time subject to a Conditional Remission Order (CRO).
For Iswaran, this means serving about eight months in prison, with the remaining four months under supervision.
The CRO sets strict conditions post-release, requiring former inmates to comply with rules such as reporting regularly to authorities and avoiding criminal activity.
If these conditions are violated, offenders may be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence.
Alongside the CRS, the Home Detention Scheme (HDS) enables prisoners to serve their final months at home under close monitoring.
While at home, Iswaran will be subject to curfews, wear an electronic tag, and be required to engage in work or education. This scheme aims to gradually reintegrate prisoners while maintaining public safety.
Details of Iswaran’s case
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment on 3 October, 2024, after pleading guilty to five charges related to corruption. The charges included accepting valuable items and benefits from Ong Beng Seng, chairman of Formula One race promoter Singapore GP, and David Lum Kok Seng, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings.
Among the benefits were an all-expenses-paid trip to Doha in December 2022, valued at approximately S$20,850 (US$15,500).
He also faced charges of obstructing the course of justice by paying S$5,700 for a business-class flight from Doha to Singapore, which Ong had originally covered. Iswaran made the payment after learning that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had seized a flight manifest linking him to Ong and was investigating the matter.
Despite the prosecution seeking a sentence of six to seven months, the court imposed a 12-month sentence, reflecting the seriousness of the offences.
Ong Beng Seng’s pre-trial conference
On the same day that Iswaran was placed on home detention, a pre-trial conference related to charges stemming from the same corruption investigation is scheduled in the afternoon.
Ong faces two charges, including allegedly abetting Iswaran to accept the all-expenses-paid trip to Doha and assisting him in May 2023 by covering up the S$5,700 flight payment after the CPIB began investigating the matter.
Ong remains on S$800,000 bail, which was provided by his bailor.
