Address by Senior Minister of State Desmond Tan at the Anti Corruption Partnership Network Event 2026

Director CPIB, Mr Sam Tee,

Members of the Anti-Corruption Partnership Network,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome and Acknowledgements

Thank you CPIB for bringing us together for this year's Anti-Corruption Partnership Network (ACPN) Event.

2      ACPN brings together an important community of companies, trade associations, professional bodies and industry partners with a common singular purpose: to strengthen Singapore’s resilience against corruption. This is not something the Government can do alone. Platforms like the ACPN allow us to stay ahead of the latest corruption development, learn best practices, raise standards together, and build a stronger culture of business ethics and corporate integrity.

Singapore's Anti-Corruption Reputation is a Strategic Advantage

3       At the recent National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about the growing uncertainty around the world—conflicts, trade barriers and weakening trust. In such an environment, Singapore’s reliability matters more than ever.

4       Trust is the foundation of Singapore’s standing as a global hub for business, finance and supply chains. It rests on the rule of law, strong institutions, contracts that are honoured and commitments that are kept.

5       In an uncertain world, trust is Singapore’s strategic advantage. It gives investors the confidence to commit capital, enables businesses to build partnerships across borders, and strengthens our position in global markets.

6       Zero tolerance for corruption is how Singapore protects and maintains that advantage. Singapore ranked third out of 180 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2025, and first in Asia Pacific. While this is encouraging, this position is never permanent.

 Anti-Corruption Enables Growth

7       This brings me to today’s theme, “Advancing Anti-Corruption for Trust and Business Growth”.

 8       We still hear from time to time, that anti-corruption measures burden businesses by slowing processes and adding costs. I do understand and appreciate these sentiments, but those who think this way may have the equation backwards. Companies with good governance are better able to manage risks and attract trusted partners.

9       The latest CPIB statistics reinforce why the private sector must continue to remain vigilant. Of the 90 individuals prosecuted in 2025 for offences related to corruption investigated by CPIB, 84 were from the private-sector. Over the past decade, construction, manufacturing, transportation and storage were among the main industries vulnerable to private-sector corruption.

10     The best time to strengthen standards and safeguards is before an incident even occurs. I encourage every organisation to adopt a proactive approach and position and CPIB stands ready to support. 

How CPIB Can Help

11      Many companies want to do the right thing. But some, especially our SMEs or those without dedicated compliance teams in the company, are not sure where to start. CPIB has a suite of practical resources to help companies assess their position, assess their risks, review existing policies, and strengthen controls in a structured way. But the commitment must come from within each organisation, starting from the very top.

The Role of Partners

12     This is where the ACPN community plays an important and crucial role.

(a) Trade associations and professional bodies are well placed to raise standards across their sectors by helping members understand the specific risks that they face.

(b) Larger companies and industry leaders can go further by sharing their knowledge and their own implementation experience and practical lessons among their peers.

13     When we raise standards collectively, we strengthen the entire business environment and create stronger corruption prevention ownership among private companies.

 Recognising our Partners

14     Today, we are happy to recognise two organisations which demonstrate what partnership can look like in real world practice.

15     First, the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, the recipient of this year's Star Partner Award. ISCA is a longstanding partner of CPIB, supporting professional training, capability building and outreach to the accounting and finance community. Last year, ISCA co-hosted the ACPN Event, helping to deepen conversations on forensic accounting, strong internal controls and good governance. Its partnership with CPIB also extends to building professional capabilities, advancing thought leadership, and engaging leaders on setting the tone for integrity from the top. Congratulations to ISCA on this award.

 16     I would also like to recognise the Singapore University of Social Sciences, recipient of this year's Appreciation Award. SUSS has shown how innovation can advance anti-corruption efforts. A team of students developed the Red Claw Integrity Project, a digital self-assessment tool for businesses built on CPIB's PACT guide and enhanced with AI capabilities. The project was presented internationally at the Coding4Integrity Hackathon organised by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong. Wonderful effort! Thank you SUSS for contributing to this effort.

17     Today, we also commend 17 individuals who rejected bribes in the course of their work. I’ll share two examples:

(a)  First, Sergeant Ahmad Hafiz Bin Abdul Sukur, a Traffic Police officer. Last year, a motorist allegedly offered him S$50 to persuade him not to report a case involving an unauthorised cross-border ride-hailing service. Sergeant Hafiz rejected the offer, and the matter was subsequently referred to CPIB. Well done Sergeant Hafiz.

(b)  I would also like to commend Tan Tar Chuak, a Certis enforcement officer supporting NEA, who turned down bribes, not just once, but twice. He rejected cash offers of S$50 and S$100 from individuals seeking to avoid enforcement action for smoking in non-designated areas. Well done Tar Chuak.

 18     Their actions and those of their colleagues here, remind us that integrity is reflected in everyday choices — not always in big ways, but sometimes in the little actions that we take, even when people are not noticing.

 19     Integrity in the private sector rarely looks like someone handing you an envelope of cash. More often, it is about questioning a suspicious deal or speaking up when something feels wrong. These decisions may be less visible than the ones we recognise today, but they are no less important.

 Call to Action

20     Let me close with one shared call: to assess your risks, to act on the gaps, and help raise standards across your network.

(a) For compliance practitioners here today: use CPIB's resources to conduct an honest review of your organisations’ policies and controls. Bring the findings to your leadership, start a constructive discussion on risks, priorities and practical improvements.

(b) For business leaders and board members: ask your compliance teams what risks concern them most and what support they may need and help them reach out for better support.

(c) For trade associations and industry bodies: review whether your sector-specific guidance reflects how corruption risks are evolving. Help members, especially those with fewer resources, translate principles into practical safeguards and create cross-learning opportunities.

 21     We built Singapore’s clean reputation together, through choices to do the right thing, even when it’s inconvenient. It belongs to all of us, and we must protect it together. I look forward to a fruitful session ahead. Thank you.