Corrections regarding false statements of fact in Political Sophistry article “Upfront and transparent? A timeline of the CPIB investigation into Transport Minister Iswaran”

On 16 July 2023, Political Sophistry, an online blog, published an article falsely conveying that:

• Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (“PM”) and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (“DPM Wong”) did not want to disclose the fact of Minister Iswaran’s arrest on 11 July 2023 because it was politically embarrassing.

• In his doorstop interview on 12 July 2023, DPM Wong deliberately withheld information that two arrests had been made in connection with the case because he wanted to conceal the truth.

These statements are false.

Facts

The facts are as follows:

• On 12 July 2023,

  • The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (“CPIB”) issued a press release that Minister Iswaran was assisting CPIB with the investigation into a case uncovered by CPIB. CPIB also acknowledged the interest by members of the public in this case because a Minister was being interviewed by CPIB.

  • PM separately issued a statement that the formal investigation began on 11 July 2023 and Minister Iswaran was assisting CPIB with the ongoing investigations.

  • DPM Wong said that CPIB needed to interview Minister Iswaran as part of further investigations. DPM stated “We will be upfront and transparent, and we will not sweep anything under the carpet, even if they are potentially embarrassing or damaging to the PAP and to the government”. He also stated that he was unable to provide more information because the CPIB investigations were ongoing.

• On 13 July 2023, the Prime Minister’s Office said that Minister lswaran would remain in Singapore during his leave of absence; and that he would have no access to any official resources and government buildings.

• On 14 July 2023, in response to media queries, CPIB stated that Minister Iswaran and Mr Ong Beng Seng were arrested on 11 July 2023, and subsequently released on bail.

Whether to arrest a person under investigation is an operational judgement by CPIB. In addition, whether and when to make public that a person has been arrested in connection with their investigations is a decision for the CPIB. In the usual course, it is the CPIB (and not Ministers) which releases such information.

CPIB’s press release on 12 July 2023 stated that Minister Iswaran was assisting CPIB with the investigation into a case uncovered by CPIB. CPIB did not then state that Minister Iswaran had been arrested on 11 July 2023.

As it is CPIB’s operational judgement when and whether to make public that a person has been arrested in connection with their investigations, PM’s statement of 12 July 2023 and DPM Wong at his doorstop interview on the same day were consistent with CPIB’s 12 July 2023 press release. It is therefore untrue that PM or DPM Wong did not want to disclose the fact of Minister Iswaran’s arrest because it was politically embarrassing, or that DPM had deliberately withheld information on the arrests because he wanted to conceal the truth. It is also not a case of PM and DPM Wong abdicating their responsibility to disclose such information. Instead, PM and DPM did not want to deviate from what CPIB had announced in its statement since this is related to operational matters.

Ministers have to let CPIB independently decide on the release of operational information. CPIB must be afforded the necessary time and space it needs to conduct a proper, thorough, and independent investigation.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Ms Indranee Rajah has instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office to issue a Correction Direction to Political Sophistry. The Correction Direction requires the recipient to insert a notice against the original post, with a link to the Government’s clarification. We advise members of the public not to speculate and/or spread unverified rumours.