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Tag: corruption

  • Gilbert Goh: PAP’s Main Motive For Suing WP’s Three MPs Probably To Stop Them From Standing For Next General Election

    Gilbert Goh: PAP’s Main Motive For Suing WP’s Three MPs Probably To Stop Them From Standing For Next General Election

    Let’s support the Workers’ Party as the PAP seeks to destroy and bring down the opposition party here. They can’t unfortunately ownself clear ownself like our PM did three weeks ago in Parliament.

    The PM’s own ward Ang Mo Kio Town Council also faced similar alleged corruption but the case was easily settled out of the public scrutiny when the town council general manager was relieved of his duties last year and dismissed without implicating the MPs.

    Its also a important distraction tactic as the government faces a host of its own problems involving the PM’s own abuse of power allegation by his two siblings which he has cleared himself in Parliament and the Malay-only Presidential Election.

    The PE which will take place in September has hurt the feelings of alot of our Singaporean Malays and put the government on a back-foot for the past few weeks as it struggles to properly address the racial legality of their preferred Indian-Muslim candidate Halimah.

    As for the lawsuit against the three WP main figures, if it involves corruption, the goverment should bring in the CPIB to investigate WP but it has instead threw the legal law book at the opposition party which will give the issue wider smear publicity.

    By appointing Philip Jeyeretnam son of WP’s founder father JB Jeyeretnam to preside over the case, it has also stir up much sentiments against the former founder’s son who now works for the government.

    Its vintage PAP’s distraction technique at its best to sue the WP now when the government has also faced many Accounting-General Office’s official complaints for the past 3 years into financial irregularities for many of its own statutory boards and civil services.

    Nothing is believed to have being done to properly investigate and clear the irregularities as the same financial problem is being re-flagged the next year. Should we not also sue the government for improper handling of our millions of taxpayer money?

    If the WP’s three MPs are found guilty by our court system, they are likely to be heavily fined and may not be able to stand for the next general election – probably the PAP’s main motive for suing them now.

    Let us support WP for the sake of our opposition cause!

     

    Source: Gilbert Goh

  • Singapore Customs Investigation Officer Jailed For Seeking Bribe For Intimate Acts

    Singapore Customs Investigation Officer Jailed For Seeking Bribe For Intimate Acts

    A Singapore Customs investigation officer (IO) abused his position by trying to obtain a bribe from a woman in the form of intimate acts.

    Jonathan Sasayiah, now 31, was jailed for three months yesterday after a district court found him guilty of the July 15, 2014 offence following a 10-day trial.

    The woman, who cannot be named due to a gag order, had been fined $500 for having two sticks of contraband cigarettes.

    Deputy Public Prosecutor Navin Naidu said Jonathan called the woman, who was facing serious financial difficulties, on July 2, 2014 to ask her out on a date.

    The mother-of-four testified that he called her again 13 days later to ask how she was going to settle the fine.

    He said he could help her reduce it, and asked what he would receive in return for his assistance.

    The woman suggested they have dinner but he rejected the idea.

    She said he then asked if they could “make out”.

    DPP Navin said the woman understood that “make out” meant to have sex, and she made a police report the next day on July 16.

    Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau officers arrested Jonathan on Aug 13.

    DPP Navin urged District Judge Michelle Yap to sentence Jonathan to at least five months’ jail.

    Stressing that the former IO had abused his position, he said: “The accused knew that the complainant was a young single mother… who was in dire financial straits and his corrupt conduct served to exploit this.”

     

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • WP Takes Backhanded Swipe At Minister Shanmugam’s Comments On Town Council Affairs

    WP Takes Backhanded Swipe At Minister Shanmugam’s Comments On Town Council Affairs

    The Law and Home Affairs Minister, K Shanmugam, in speaking on the the investigation of the General Manager of Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) contrasted the approaches of PAP-run town council with the one run by Workers’ Party (WP). WP’s then-Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council, has been under scrutiny for its relationship between its former managing agent FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) and Essential Maintenance Service Unit (EMSU) contractor FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI).

    Mr Shanmugam alleged that unlike the PAP-run town council, the Workers’ Party-run town council has not been transparent with the general public.

    The Workers’ Party in responding to Mr Shanmugam’s harsh criticisms of its town council management said that “since CPIB is investigating the AMKTC case, we should let due process take its course and not jump to conclusions.”

    In its statement, WP pointed out that when their auditors released the report on AHTC in July 2016, “some people jumped prematurely on the possibility of fraud and fictitious payments without waiting for the results of the audit.”

    Their auditor, KPMG, had said in the July 2016 report that the use of this “highly irregular shortcut” made it “practically impossible” to have effective oversight of these transactions.

    They added: “Such large-scale use of this practice raises questions about the management of AHTC’s finance function. Consequently, it is easier for duplicate payments or fictitious payments to be made without being detected.”

    Mr Shanmugam had then taken issue with the manner the WP announced the lapses highlighted by its auditors. In a Facebook post, the Minister said KPMG’s report underlined that “AHTC’s leadership has neither upheld nor enforced integrity and ethical values”.

    “The rot is at the top,” he added. “This should come as no surprise. The High Court and the Court of Appeal have already criticised Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Pritam Singh for suppressing the truth (designed to mislead) both in Parliament and in Court. To them, the truth is a tradable commodity.”

    Aljunied-Hougang Town Council subsequently ordered a 100% check on the $60m direct journal entry and dummy code issues.

    WP’s unsigned statement today said, “when no fraud and fictitious payments were found, the speculators kept quiet.”

    The statement further said: “Premature speculation, especially when done by influential people, may pervert the course of justice by shaping investigations. So let’s wait for the findings of the CPIB on the AMKTC case and let the law take its course.”

     

    Source: http://theindependent.sg

  • Indonesian General Gets Life Sentence For Embezzling S$17 Million Through Arms Procurement

    Indonesian General Gets Life Sentence For Embezzling S$17 Million Through Arms Procurement

    In a landmark ruling, the Jakarta Military Court has sentenced a one-star Indonesian Military (TNI) general to life for embezzling US$12 million (S$17.18 million) through defence weaponry procurement between 2010 and 2014.

    The verdict, which was read out in an open hearing on Wednesday (Nov 30), sent a positive signal that the TNI and the Defence Ministry were serious in cracking down on corruption, which allegedly plagues the nation’s weapon procurement deals.

    The general identified as Brigadier-General Teddy Hernayadi was found guilty of transferring the US$12 million of state money to his bank accounts when he served as the Defence Ministry’s finance division head from 2010 to 2014.

    The ministry’s inspector-general Hadi Tjahjanto said the ministry appreciated the ruling because not only did it sentence Teddy to life in prison for his offences, but also demanded he return the US$12 million to the state coffers.

    “We are waiting for the defendant to comply with ruling and return the embezzled money to the state,” Mr Hadi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

    He further said a team from the ministry who had observed the months-long trial discovered that Teddy was not the only perpetrator, adding that the ministry would resume investigations into the case to pursue more suspects both from the ministry and private sector who allegedly received shares of the embezzled money.

    The inspector-general hoped that the verdict would serve as a warning for other ministry officials on the severity of embezzlement.

    “We will follow up the ruling to find out who the other recipients of the embezzled money are. Around 53 witnesses confirmed that they had accepted money (from Teddy). If the 53 witnesses include civilians, we will let the National Police investigate them,” Mr Hadi said.

    Mr Hadi said the case started when the ministry’s inspectorate-general discovered US$12 million had been funnelled from the ministry to Teddy’s bank accounts in 2014.

    “The ruling was expected but nonetheless was appreciated (by the ministry). The ministry will continue to carry out internal reforms,” Mr Hadi said.

    Meanwhile, Teddy reportedly said he would use the seven days given by the court to decide whether to appeal against the sentence to the Jakarta High Military Court.

    Separately, military expert Al Araf said the verdict confirmed long-standing public suspicions that the country’s procurement of defense systems was marred with corruption, thus, it was important for the ministry to probe past procurement deals.

    “In the past, we have heard about alleged corruption concerning the procurement of Sukhoi (fighter jets), Leopard tanks and missiles from Brazil. The verdict should open the door for President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s administration to investigate the procurement of defence weaponry in the past,” Al Araf said.

    He said the ministry should ask the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for assistance in the investigation of past cases.

    By 2024, the country expects to have reached its minimum essential force requirement. Some 150 trillion rupiah (S$15.8 billion) was spent to pay for the modernisation of the nation’s weapons-defence system between 2010 and 2014.

    KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo said the anti-graft body was ready to assist the ministry, adding that the KPK was closely monitoring the process of Teddy’s trial at the military court.

    “We are monitoring the hearing,” Mr Agus said.

     

    Source: The Straits TImes

  • Cop Charged With Accepting Bribes, Placing Bets On Illegal TOTO And 4D

    Cop Charged With Accepting Bribes, Placing Bets On Illegal TOTO And 4D

    A police officer was charged on Friday (Sept 25) with allegedly obtaining bribes and placing illegal bets in 2014.

    Staff Sergeant Woo Poh Liang, 28, faces two counts of corruptly obtaining gratification totalling $35,000 to help Beltran Angelo Salvador evade prosecution in an insult of modesty case.

    Woo is alleged to have accepted one portion of the money in an interview room at Clementi Police Division on Sept 17 last year.

    Around the same day, Woo had allegedly collected more money from Salvador at a taxi stand near Outram Park MRT station.

    Woo also faces 18 counts for offences under the Common Gaming Act and Betting Act.

    From May to July 2014, Woo, who had joined the police force in 2008, had allegedly placed bets illegally on FIFA World Cup matches, Toto and 4D amounting to about $27,500.

    Woo has been granted a $30,000 bail.

    A pre-trial conference is set for Oct 22.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg