Public Sector

Phey Yew Kok was a prominent unionist in Singapore during the 1970s. Not only was he the president of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and former Member of Parliament for Boon Teck constituency, he was also the General Secretary of the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation (SILO) and General Secretary of the Pioneer Industries Employees’ Union (PIEU).

However, his illustrious career ended in 1979 when he was investigated by the CPIB for malpractices in the PIEU and SILO. On 10 December 1979, Phey was formally charged with four counts of Criminal Breach of Trust involving a total of S$82,520, and other offences under the Trade Unions Act (Cap 129). He was released on bail but failed to turn up for his further Court mention on 7 January 1980. A Warrant of Arrest was subsequently issued against him on the same day.

Investigations eventually revealed that Phey had fled Singapore on 31 December 1979. 35 years on, Phey surrendered himself at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok on 22 June 2015. On 23 June 2015, CPIB officers accompanied Phey back to Singapore.

On 23 July 2015, Phey was slapped with 28 additional charges bringing his total number of charges to 34. He was alleged to have misappropriated more than S$350,000 over roughly six-and-a-half years in the 1970s, mostly from SILO and PIEU. The charges also accused Phey of instigating an accountant to provide false information to a CPIB officer and fabricating false evidence. He also faced a charge for jumping bail in 1979.

The long running case finally concluded on 22 January 2016 when Phey Yew Kok pleaded guilty to 12 of the 34 charges, including 10 counts of criminal breach of trust involving S$243,878. Phey was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. The other 22 charges were taken into consideration in sentencing him.

Lai Wai Khuen was an assistant director at the Media Development Authority (MDA). His work responsibilities included the evaluation of projects under those companies he liaised with to determine if they fit the criteria for the application of various MDA grants before asking the companies to send in their applications. Upon receiving the applications, Lai would then forward them to a panel of assessors who would assess on the application and decide whether to approve the grant. Lai was also responsible for the disbursement of the approved grant which was usually given out according to the project milestones reached.

Acting on information received, the CPIB’s investigation found out that from 2010 to 2013, Lai had obtained loans from the grant applicants as an inducement or reward for facilitating the approval and disbursement of the grants. In total, he had obtained loans from 12 individuals on 27 occasions and another occasion where he had attempted to obtain a loan of S$3,000 unsuccessfully.

In addition, on three separate occasions, Lai had forged internal documents for grant approval by fraudulently signing off as a Director with the MDA, with the intention to mislead that the document was signed by the latter.

On 17 January 2014, Lai Wai Khuen was charged for corruptly obtaining loans and corruptly attempting to obtain a loan as an inducement for facilitating the approval and disbursement of grants. He was also charged for forging documents. Eventually, he was sentenced to 14 months’ jail and was ordered to pay a penalty* of $18,000 in July 2014.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Norezwan Bin Em was a former Senior Investigation Officer in the Employment Inspectorate of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The department focuses on illegal employment, illegal deployment and other violations of MOM’s foreign manpower regulations.

The CPIB had received information on the case. Its investigation revealed that in October 2012, Norezwan issued a Special Pass to a female Chinese National who was assisting MOM with an investigation. With the special pass, she was allowed to stay in Singapore legally. Norezwan continued to contact her in his personal capacity. On three occasions, between 30 October 2012 and 6 November 2012, he had obtained sexual favours from her at a park in Clementi and Oxley Hotel 88, as an inducement for the extension of her stay in Singapore.

On 19 September 2013, Norezwan Bin Em was convicted for corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of sexual favours. He was sentenced to 8 months’ jail for corruption in October 2013.

Choy Hon Tim was former Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) of the Public Utilities Board (PUB). He had been bribed by a businessman who was once employed at PUB as a clerk. Choy’s relationship with the businessman developed in 1974 when the latter became a sub-contractor to PUB. It started in 1977, when the businessman sought the assistance of Choy who was then a PUB engineer, to ensure the smooth laying of high-tension cables in his sub-contract works with PUB. In return, Choy was given 20 per cent of the company’s profits in cash. This arrangement lasted up until the businessman shut down his sub-contracting company and migrated to Australia.

In 1983, the businessman approached Choy again, who was then the Acting Chief Electrical Engineer, to set up a ‘consultancy service’, providing advice to international contractors interested in doing business with PUB. The role of the businessman was to provide consultancy services to prospective contractors while Choy provided confidential and privileged information concerning PUB tenders. He was also to provide assistance wherever necessary to ensure the smooth running of projects after they were awarded to the contractors.

This lucrative partnership earned the businessman a total of S$63,377,744 and of this sum, S$12,240,613 went to Choy. The payments were made via cheques or cash orders payable to Choy’s former and second wives.

The case was opened for investigation by the CPIB in 1994, and with the help of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). According to CPIB’s investigation, Choy had as much as S$13 million stashed in a Hong Kong bank account under his second wife’s sister’s name. As his sister-in-law was not a high-earning individual, there was no way she could have accumulated that amount of money.

Choy Hon Tim soon fled the country. He was eventually brought back to face legal action in Singapore. On 27 October 1995, Choy Hon Tim was charged in court for criminal conspiracy and accepting bribes totalling around S$13.85 million, and was sentenced to prison for 14 years. To date, the total amount of bribes he had received remains the largest total amount of bribe monies involved in Singapore’s history.

Mohamed Yusof Bin Abdul Rahman, former Singapore Customs officer, was deployed at the GST Refund Inspection Counter in the airport during the offence period between January 2013 and January 2014. His duty was to process the GST refund claims made by tourists leaving Singapore.

Investigations by the CPIB, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and the Singapore Customs had in late 2013 revealed that a group of accomplices had made fraudulent GST refund claims under the electronic tourist refund scheme (eTRS). On various occasions, Yusof assisted four Indian nationals to fraudulently claim a total of S$493,858.67 in GST refunds.

As part of their illegal scheme, the four Indian nationals paid for receipts from bona fide shoppers who had purchased jewellery and obtained eTRS tickets from the jewellery retailers. They would then present to Yusof, the eTRS tickets and jewellery to support their eTRS claims. Yusof then helped to approve their GST refund claims even though the jewellery produced did not match the goods description on the receipts. In return, Yusof accepted bribes in cash. The total amount of cash bribes that Yusof had received from them amounted to S$11,400.

Mohamed Yusof Bin Abdul Rahman was charged for both corruption and GST tax evasion. The corruption charges involved a total amount of S$3,350 and the GST tax evasion charges involved a total amount of S$220,561.60. In February 2015, the court sentenced Yusof to 5 years’ jail, and ordered to pay a total penalty* of S$673,084.80 for corruption and abetting four Indian nationals to fraudulently claim GST tourist refund.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposes on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Marzuki Bin Ahmad was an ex-Assistant Property Executive of Jurong Town Corporation. He was tasked to conduct periodic checks and inspections at premises leased out by JTC to ensure that the lessees complied with applicable local laws and regulations as well as with the terms of their leases, and was obliged to report any such infringements.

Marzuki conducted inspections at dormitories for foreign workers at a number of JTC-owned premises which were managed by Chew Wee Kiang. Marzuki discovered that foreign workers were being housed at the premises even though certain approvals from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force had yet to be obtained at that time. CPIB’s investigation showed that Marzuki told Chew that he was in need of money. They subsequently came to an understanding that Marzuki would not report the non-compliance that he had discovered in exchange for some loans that Chew would extend to him. Over a period of more than a year, Marzuki received S$31,500 by way of loans from Chew and attempted to obtain a further loan of S$5,000 from the latter.

Marzuki Bin Ahmad was convicted and sentenced to a total of 8 month’s imprisonment and a penalty* of S$11,500 in May 2014 for corruption offences.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Corporal Yong Swee Fatt was a former officer with the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and was attached to the “G” Supervision Division at Bedok Police Station.

CPIB’s investigations revealed that was introduced at a drinking session to Tan Chuan Hee, a drug offender who was arrested by the CNB and subsequently detained at the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) for drug consumption. Tan was released from the DRC in early 1997, but was placed on supervision order for two years and had to report to the CNB “G” Supervision Division at Bedok Police Station for urine tests periodically. As Tan continued to consume heroin during this period, he was afraid that his urine would be tested positive. Yong suggested to Tan that he could help him to shorten his supervision period if he was willing to spend money. Yong accepted S$1,000 on two occasions and also entertainment from Tan. Tan’s supervision order was subsequently shortened from 2 years to 16 months.

In 1998, Tan was arrested by the CNB for consumption of drugs. He was placed on a bail of $5,000, and upon release, he decided to abscond and jump bail. Yong informed Tan that he was wanted for jumping bail, and that he could help him settle his case in return for S$1,000. Tan agreed and gave Cpl Yong the S$1,000 and also paid for his entertainment. Cpl Yong continued to accept gratification in the form of bribe monies and entertainment from Tan on several more occasions.

Yong Swee Fatt was charged and convicted for corruption and a Penal Code offence. He was sentenced to a total of 27 months’ imprisonment in August 2003.

Dharminderjit Singh Gill is a Port Inspector of the Marine Environment Safety Department of the Maritime Port Authority (MPA). His duties as a Port Inspector involved policing the Singapore waters and ensuring that vessels within the Singapore waters comply with MPA rules and regulations.

The CPIB had acted on information received. Investigation revealed that during his inspection duties, Dharminderjit had found that two vessels had failed to keep proper oil records. He told the crew of both vessels that they might be liable to a fine or imprisonment. He then obtained US$800 (equivalent to S$987) from the crew of one vessel and S$400 from another vessel, so that he would not issue a Letter of Undertaking against the crew for failing to keep proper oil records.

Dharminderjit Singh Gill was charged for corruption offences and was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay a penalty* of S$1,387 in July 2014.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Sundara Moorthy Lankatharan @ Lanka was a Higher Technician of the Housing & Development Board. He was attached to the Safety Unit of the Structural Engineering Department from January 1991 to March 1995. His duties included carrying out site inspections to ensure that contractors comply with safety measures.

Sundara was the safety officer in-charge of a building project at Woodlands Neighbourhood. He approached Tan Ah Lay, the Managing Director of the main contractor for the project, for a loan of about S$4,000, Sundara claimed that he needed the money to change his car. Tan turned down his request. A week later, Sundara informed Tan that he would be conducting another safety inspection at his worksite. He took the opportunity to approach Tan again for a loan. This time, Tan agreed. Tan handed a cheque of S$4,000 to Sundara so that Sundara will not find fault with regards to the safety aspects of the construction works.

Based on information received, the CPIB started investigation.

Sundara Moorthy Lankatharan was charged for corruptly obtaining a gratification in the form of a loan of S$4,000. He was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a penalty* of S$4,000.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Phua Poh Sim was a scholar and former captain of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Based on information received, the CPIB found out that between December 2007 and November 2008, Phua, then a weapons staff officer with the Systems Integration Office, had accumulated gambling debts of about S$100,000. Phua was introduced to Richard Yow Wah, a Defence Contractor. Yow wanted Phua to provide assistance to procure contracts from the SAF. Between May to August 2008, the Phua had gotten loans amounting S$53,100 on five occasions from Yow. In return, he shared information on SAF projects with Yow.

Phua Poh Sim was charged and convicted for corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of loans. In August 2011, Phua was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a penalty* of S$40,400.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Mohammed Mustaffa Mohabat Ali was a former Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Primary Screening Officer attached to the Tuas Checkpoint. His duties included assessing whether foreigners meet entry requirements, inspecting travellers’ passports and granting Visit Passes (VP) to visitors to enter and remain in Singapore. Between October 2010 and June 2011, Mustaffa accepted bribes in return for granting VP to Filipino and Vietnamese women to extend their stay in Singapore.

Mustaffa worked mainly with a middleman, who would also refer foreigners to him. The middleman would provide transportation to the foreigners, drive them through the checkpoint and seek out Mustaffa to grant the VP when he was doing clearance duty at the checkpoint. The foreigners had paid fees of between S$150 to S$550 for each re-entry. Mustaffa had also recruited and given bribes to four ICA colleagues to assist him in his scheme when he was not able to do so.

Mohammed Mustaffa Mohabat Ali was arrested after the CPIB, with the assistance of the ICA, cracked the case in June 2011. He was convicted for corruption offences, then sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a penalty* of S$8,050 in December 2013. The following year, Ezhar Bin Kamis, Mohamed Nazrul Bin Noor Mohamed, Lukmanulhakim Bin Samsun and Nor Hidayat Bin Mohamed Hussain whom Mustaffa recruited for his scheme were each sentenced to 4 months’ jail and ordered to pay penalties* of between S$50 and S$150.

* Penalty is an additional punishment (for corruption offences) imposed on the bribe taker to pay a sum which is equal to the amount of that gratification.

Peter Lim Sin Pang was the former commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) who was investigated by the CPIB for corruptly obtained sexual gratification from two female vendors and one potential female vendor to the SCDF on 10 occasions between May 2010 and November 2011, as an inducement for showing favour by advancing the business interest of their companies with SCDF.

Its investigation revealed that on 2 May 2010, Lim obtained oral sex from a former senior employee of Nimrod Engineering at a public carpark. Ten months later on 17 March 2011, Lim tipped off her about a SCDF tender on radiation portal monitors before it was officially published on 6 April that year. Nimrod Engineering bade for the project shortly. Between May 2010 and November 2011, Lim had also obtained several sexual gratifications from two other women who were in senior positions for vendors of the SCDF. In return, Lim would show favour to the companies where the women were working at for IT-related tenders called by the SCDF.

Peter Lim Sin Pang was charged for corruptly obtaining sexual gratification involving three different women. In June 2013, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, and was officially dismissed from the public service on 31 August 2013.