Former Singapore Cabinet minister starts 1-year sentence for receiving illegal gifts

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A former Singaporean Cabinet minister began a one-year prison term Monday for receiving illegal gifts after saying he would not appeal his sentence in the rare criminal case involving a government minister in the Asian financial hub.

Former Transport Minister S. Iswaran said it was important to him that prosecutors reduced two corruption charges to charges of receiving illegal gifts at the start of the trial last month. Iswaran had pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice and four of accepting gifts from two businessmen with whom he had official business.

His sentence of 12 months in prison exceeded what the defense and prosecution had requested, but the court agreed to let him start serving the sentence Monday.

“I will not be appealing the sentence handed down by the Court,” Iswaran said in a statement on social media. “I accept that as a minister, what I did was wrong under section 165 (of the Penal Code). I accept full responsibility for my actions and apologise unreservedly to all Singaporeans.”