A series of political scandals has rocked Singapore in recent weeks, from corruption probes to inappropriate relationships among politicians. CNBC examines the reasons why corruption and political scandal are rare in Singapore, and what it means for the country.
A series of political scandals has rocked Singapore in recent weeks, from corruption probes to inappropriate relationships among politicians. These challenges have affected the ruling party as well as the largest opposition party.
It started in May when two ministers were investigated for potential abuse of power and conflict of interests when renting government-owned colonial-era bungalows in a posh housing area along Ridout Road.
The duo was eventually cleared of wrongdoing in a probe led by Singapore’s anti-graft agency.
Shortly after the Ridout saga, Singapore Transport Minister S Iswaran and hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng — known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state — were arrested as part of a corruption probe.
The dust from both events had barely settled when members from both the ruling People’s Action Party and the opposition Workers’ Party resigned over “inappropriate relationships.”
Felix Tan, a political analyst in Singapore, explained the brouhaha over the recent scandals: “[Singapore is] almost a perfect exemplar for all countries to be.
“And when something like this happens, (it shows that) we’re not that perfect. We have built up that reputation. People expect us to keep up with that,” he added.
Watch the video to find out why corruption and political scandal are rare in Singapore, and what it means for the country.
