Airport Manager Bagged For Corruption

Abdul Rahim Bin Jumaat was employed as a Duty Terminal Manager at the Baggage Department of the Singapore Airport Terminal Services Limited (SATS). His responsibilities included overseeing the daily loading and unloading operation of passenger baggage for incoming and outgoing flights from Changi Airport Terminal 2.

The CPIB started an investigation on the case after it had received information. Between 6 November 2007 and 29 April 2008, Rahim had accepted gratifications totalling S$5,080 from one Abdul Falik Bin Abdul Latiff, a freelance airport agent in return for confidential information of passengers with no check-in baggage. Falik had used the information to help his clients who are foreign passengers with excess baggage. The excess baggage were then included under the quota meant for those passengers without any check-in baggage so that Falik’s clients did not have to pay the excess baggage charges.

Rahim had made unauthorized access into the Kris Check system (used at Changi Airport) on 25 occasions from 5 November 2007 to 25 April 2008, to obtain the names and information of passengers (with no check-in baggage) for Falik. Falik would get paid for providing this service and he, in turn, would pay Rahim for providing him with the list of passenger names.

Both men were charged and convicted for corruption. Rahim was also charged under the Computer Misuse and Cyber Security Act. On 30 November 2012, Abdul Falik Bin Abdul Latiff was sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment and S$12,000 fine while Abdul Rahim Bin Jumaat was convicted on 21 May 2012 and sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment, S$36,000 in fine and a penalty* of S$5,080.

* 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.