Press Releases
Jailed and Fined Over Corrupt Business Dealings
20 November 2019
A director and two firms were jailed and fined for bribing a town council manager to win contracts. Singapore takes a zero-tolerance stance on corruption — report any suspicious activity to CPIB.
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Resorting to bribery to advance business interests is illegal. Individuals and companies engaged in corrupt practices will have to bear the full brunt of the law.
2. On 20 November 2019, Chia Sin Lan, a Director and major Shareholder of 19-ANC Enterprise Pte Ltd (19-ANC) and 19-NS2 Enterprise Pte Ltd (19-NS2), 19-ANC, 19-NS2 and Wong Chee Meng, the former General Manager of the Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC), were sentenced by the State Courts for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Their sentences are as follows:
a) Chia Sin Lan, a director and major shareholder of 19-ANC and 19-NS2, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. b) 19-ANC Enterprise Pte Ltd was fined $75,000. c) 19-NS2 Enterprise Pte Ltd was fined $75,000. d) Wong Chee Meng, former General Manager of AMKTC, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. Wong was also ordered to pay a penalty of $23,398.09 to disgorge the value of the bribes he had received.
3. Earlier on 14 March 2018, Chia Sin Lan was charged with corruptly giving gratification to Wong Chee Meng as an inducement to advance the business interests of 19-ANC and 19-NS2 with AMKTC from between 2014 to 2016. He was also charged with abetment by engaging in a conspiracy with 19-ANC and 19-NS2 to do so. At the time of the offences, Chia was a Director and Shareholder of 19-ANC and 19-NS2, companies in the business of providing construction services to various town councils around Singapore, while Wong was the General Manager of AMKTC in charge of its operations. 19-ANC and 19-NS2 were also correspondingly charged for their involvement in the criminal conspiracy and Wong was charged with corruptly accepting gratification from Chia.
4. On 25 March 2019, Chia and Wong each pleaded guilty to three charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act (which included two amalgamated charges preferred under the amended Criminal Procedure Code), with two similar charges taken into consideration for sentencing. The total value of the gratification involved was around S$86,000. 19-ANC and 19-NS2 (represented by Chia) each pleaded guilty to a charge under the Prevention of Corruption Act for their involvement in a conspiracy to give the said gratification to Wong.
5. Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. It is a serious offence to give or accept bribes from another individual or entity. Any person who is convicted of a corruption offence can be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to 5 years or to both. As this case involves gratification received in relation to Government contracts, Wong and Chia were subjected to the enhanced maximum penalty of a fine of up to $100,000 or to imprisonment of up to 7 years or both, and were sentenced accordingly.
6. The CPIB looks into all corruption complaints and reports, including anonymous ones, and can be reached via the following channels:
a) Visit or write to us at the CPIB Headquarters @ 2 Lengkok Bahru, S159047 or Corruption Reporting & Heritage Centre @ 247 Whitley Road S297830;
b) Call the Duty Officer at 1800-376-0000;
c) Lodge an e-Complaint; or
d) Email us at report@cpib.gov.sg
Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau