Processes Related to Investigations into Political Office Holders and Civil Servants, and Updates on Recent Cases

1 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the timeline of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau's (CPIB) uncovering of the matter relating to the investigation that Minister S Iswaran is assisting with; and (b) what are the reasons for commencing formal investigation on 11 July 2023 when the Prime Minister was briefed by the Director of CPIB on 5 July 2023 and gave his concurrence on 6 July 2023 to open a formal investigation.

2 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister whether CPIB’s investigation which Minister S Iswaran is assisting with pertains to actions or decisions taken in the course of his official duties or to matters which he has had purview over in his official capacity.

3 Mr Don Wee asked the Prime Minister why has Minister S Iswaran been placed on a leave of absence while assisting CPIB with an investigation, whereas Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan continued with their duties while assisting with CPIB investigations regarding their rental of state properties at Ridout Road.

4 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister (a) whether CPIB is obligated to seek the Prime Minister's concurrence to open formal investigations on potential offences that CPIB has uncovered; (b) if so, under what circumstances or cases will CPIB be obligated to seek such concurrence; (c) whether the Prime Minister's power to give or refuse concurrence to CPIB is circumscribed or open-ended; (d) whether there are occasions where the Prime Minister has declined permission for CPIB to investigate a matter and, if so, what are these circumstances.

5 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Prime Minister (a) whether all investigations by CPIB require the Prime Minister's concurrence; (b) if not, what type of investigations require the Prime Minister's concurrence; and (c) why the investigations under part (b) require the Prime Minister's concurrence.

6 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Prime Minister whether the arrest of Minister S Iswaran by CPIB was a matter that should have been immediately announced to the public as a matter of transparency.

7 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Prime Minister whether the Government adheres to a timeline for disclosing information about a political office holder if the information, which could include their arrest by the Police, would be likely to materially affect public confidence in the Government.

8 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Prime Minister what are the specific considerations that CPIB takes into account in deciding when to announce that individuals are involved in ongoing investigations and in deciding what is the appropriate level of disclosure required at a specific time.

9 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister regarding CPIB's update to the media on 14 July 2023 that Minister S Iswaran had been arrested on 11 July 2023, what are the reasons for the earlier CPIB media release on 12 July 2023 describing Minister S Iswaran as assisting with an investigation without mention of him having been arrested the day before.

10 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider implementing transparent guidelines for mandatory disclosures or announcements when a Minister or political office holder is personally implicated in any formal investigation by the authorities, to minimise any time lag issues and prevent unnecessary speculation by the public.

11 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Prime Minister (a) what are the avenues available in Ministries for whistleblowing on possible corruption cases; (b) how many cases has CPIB investigated through such whistleblowing channels in the past three years; and (c) what proportion of cases investigated by CPIB is surfaced through such avenues in the past three years.

12 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Prime Minister in light of CPIB's investigation which Minister S Iswaran is assisting with, whether there will be further clarifications to, or a review of, the Code of Conduct for Ministers last re-issued in 2005, regardless of the outcome of the investigation.

13 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Prime Minister what are the measures currently in place to protect civil servants who choose not to follow (i) inappropriate or (ii) non-official instructions or requests from political office holders.

14 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Prime Minister (a) whether political office holders and civil servants are required to declare meals received from individuals or organisations, be it local or foreign; (b) what is the threshold value for which they are required to make such declarations; (c) under what conditions will they be required to make payment; and (d) how many of such declarations was made in the past year, and what was the total value of such payments.

15 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Prime Minister (a) to date, how many individuals have been arrested by CPIB in relation to the investigation into Mr S Iswaran; and (b) why is the arrest of Mr S Iswaran on 11 July 2023 not disclosed until 14 July 2023.

16 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Prime Minister (a) whether Mr S Iswaran’s leave of absence from his duties from 7 to 9 July 2023, as notified in the Government Gazette No 2017 on 14 July 2023, is related to the investigation of CPIB; and (b) if so, whether he has discharged any official duties or attended any official meetings during that period of leave of absence.

17 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Prime Minister why CPIB did not disclose their current investigation of the Minister for Transport S Iswaran before 12 July 2023.

18 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Prime Minister whether he can provide an update on the current guidelines for whistle-blowing for all civil servants and public servants in respect of wrongdoings by civil and public servants as well as political office holders including but not limited to criminal or graft offences, misconduct, wrongful practices or behaviour, or other irregularities.

The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing) (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Oral Question Nos 1 to 18 in the Ministerial Statements to be delivered later at today's Sitting?

Mr Speaker: I concur.