Iswaran prison sentence: How international media reported landmark Singapore case

SINGAPORE: The sentencing of former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran has garnered international attention, in a case that runs counter to the city-state’s reputation for good governance.
It was a theme that ran through many articles about Thursday’s (Oct 3) sentencing.
A judge handed Iswaran a 12-month jail sentence, a term even harsher than the six to seven months sought by the prosecution.
Here’s how some international media outlets covered the day’s proceedings.
The BBC’s headline – “Singapore ex-minister gets prison in rare case” – reflected the exceptional circumstances of the trial.
“The nation prides itself on its squeaky clean image and lack of corruption,” said the reporter, who went on to write about how this case had hurt not just Singapore’s image but also that of the ruling People’s Action Party.
The issue of ministerial salary – a hot button topic in Singapore – got a mention as well.
Japan’s Nikkei went with the more direct “Singapore ex-minister Iswaran sentenced to a year in jail” for its headline.
But the opening paragraphs focused on Singapore’s reputation, stating that this was “a bribery case that has gripped a country known for clean government”.
The article also highlighted Justice Vincent Hoong’s sentencing remarks and how “holders of high office ‘set the tone for public servants in conducting themselves in accordance with high standards of integrity'”.
It also referred to the ruling party – with the case having “rocked” the PAP-led government.
Bloomberg sought to frame the jail sentence as a “clear message” that Singapore “won’t tolerate conduct that undermines its zeal for clean governance”.
Describing the trial as a “historic case”, the article noted how the judge spoke of “trust and confidence in public institutions (being) the bedrock of effective governance”.
The trial, which began on Sep 24, was unexpectedly truncated when Iswaran pleaded guilty after the prosecution amended corruption charges to lesser charges of obtaining gifts as a public servant.
This “swift conclusion”, wrote Bloomberg, “may put to bed a scandal that has tested the wealthy island nation’s reputation for clean governance since the initial investigation came to light last year”. 
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post noted that the case had garnered “significant attention” given the high salaries of ministers and that Singapore ranks highly on global anti-corruption indices.
SCMP noted Justice Hoong’s remarks that the submissions on sentencing from both the prosecution and the defence were “manifestly inadequate”.
The article listed some of the gifts Iswaran received from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng and construction bigwig Lum Kok Seng. 
The article also included a recent photo of Mr Ong at the Singapore Grand Prix in September.
“Singapore’s disgraced former transport minister jailed for 12 months in landmark case”, wrote news agency Reuters.
It reported how the case has shocked Singapore “which prides itself on having a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy as well as strong and squeaky clean governance”.
The article gave an overview of the list of items Iswaran received and the aftermath of the sentencing – with Iswaran out on bail and set to begin his jail term on Oct 7.