Singapore's former transport minister, S Iswaran, began a one-year jail term for corruption, having received illegal gifts worth USD 313,200 from businessmen. He chose not to appeal his conviction and apologized to the nation.

S. Iswaran turned himself in to a Singapore court to become the first ex-cabinet minister to be jailed in almost half a century, in a scandal that has riveted a city that prides itself on good governance.

Former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran received a one-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to corruption-related charges in the High Court. The case marks the first prosecution under Section 165 post-independence.

Iswaran, who was convicted after pleading guilty to four charges of obtaining valuable items as a public servant and one count of obstruction of justice, is scheduled to surrender to the court at 4 pm on Monday to begin his sentence.

Former Singapore transport minister S Iswaran said in a statement on Facebook that he will not appeal the one-year prison sentence handed out to him after pleading guilty to five charges. In the statement,

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.

Singapore’s former transport minister S Iswaran said he would not be appealing his 12-month jail term, which starts today, after he was convicted of four counts of receiving gifts and one of obstructing justice.