The city state’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement on Wednesday morning that it was unable to release further details about the investigation.

“As investigations are ongoing, CPIB is unable to provide further details. CPIB will investigate this case thoroughly with strong resolve to establish the facts and the truth, and to uphold the rule of law,” it said in a statement.

“CPIB investigates all cases without fear or favour and will not hesitate to take action against any parties involved in corrupt activities.”

Prime Minister Lee said on Facebook that the investigation began on Tuesday. The CPIB – which reports directly to him – on July 5 briefed him on the case and sought his concurrence to begin an investigation, Lee said, adding that he assented to the investigation the next day. The investigation involves “interviewing Minister S. Iswaran, among others”, Lee said.

Lee has directed Chee Hong Tat, the senior minister of state for transport, to stand in for Iswaran in his absence.

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The CPIB concluded in its earlier investigation that the ministers committed no wrongdoing and there was an absence of conflict of interest – even though online commentaries that sparked off the saga suggested there was impropriety involved.

Both Shanmugam and Balakrishnan were not placed on leave during the probe, suggesting that the investigation into Iswaran is more serious.

Wong, in his remarks on Wednesday evening, said the investigation into the bungalows saga and the case involving Iswaran were distinct as the latter was originated from CPIB’s own investigations. “It was CPIB that discovered the matter through their initial findings and investigations, and they felt that there was a need to interview Minister Iswaran as part of further investigations,” Wong was quoted as saying by Singapore broadcaster CNA.

CPIB’s initial probe into an unrelated matter was flagged to Prime Minister Lee in May. The asked to interview Iswaran in July following further investigations.

Wong acknowledged that Singaporeans were concerned by the latest development, but said he could not provide further details. “So I ask everyone that we allow the investigation to take its course and refrain from any further speculation at this juncture.”

The PAP has endured a torrid few weeks in the wake of the bungalows investigation, which was hotly discussed in parliament.

While the investigation found no evidence of any wrongdoing, observers have said it nonetheless put the party in an awkward position as the saga spotlighted the upper-class lifestyles of ministers, as most Singaporeans are grappling with rising living costs.

Prime Minister Lee said in parliament that he had no problem with ministers living in or renting luxury properties so long as they lived within their means.

In another controversy, Parliament Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin, a PAP MP, on Tuesday apologised after video footage emerged of him muttering an expletive under his breath in response to an opposition lawmaker’s speech.

“The government is in damage control mode [and] they have to overcome this severe reputational damage,” said Eugene Tan, a law professor at the Singapore Management University. “It will be a hard slog for the PAP government to repair the damage. Trust and confidence will have to be rebuilt and time is of the essence.”

Given that the facts surrounding the latest investigation are unknown, observers say it’s too early to speculate on its implications.

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Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said Prime Minister Lee’s order for Iswaran to take a leave of absence was aimed at showing “responsiveness and accountability”.

Bilveer Singh, an NUS political scientist, said he expected heightened public scrutiny of the PAP in the coming months, noting that the party’s electoral success hinged on its unwavering commitment to meritocracy and incorruptibility.

Singapore’s ministers and top civil servants are among the world best-paid public officials, with wages benchmarked against top salaries in the private sector to attract top talent and deter corruption. Most ministers’ annual salaries exceed S$1 million (US$747,000) and the prime minister earns around S$2.2 million a year including bonuses.

Iswaran, 61, has been involved in politics since 1997 and was appointed to Prime Minister Lee’s cabinet in 2006. Before entering the political arena, Iswaran held senior positions within the bureaucracy as a member of the prestigious Administrative Service. Additionally, he served in high-ranking roles at state-linked enterprises, such as Temasek Holdings and Singapore Technologies.

He serves as the leading representative for the PAP’s five-person MP slate in the West Coast group representation constituency. The constituency experienced a closely contested battle during the 2020 general election, in which Iswaran’s team secured victory against the opposition Progress Singapore Party, obtaining 51.68 per cent of the vote.