Aug 10, 2010
Ex-Seagate HR exec jailed
<!-- by line --> By Khushwant Singh
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SHE made sure that a particular labour recruitment agency was hired to source foreign workers for Seagate Technology International in 2007. In return for her help, Loke Geok Nee, 37, received $140,000 in cash from a director of AA Recruitment Network. However, she was found out after the Corrupt Practives Investigation Bureau was tipped off and on Tuesday she was jailed seven months.
A district court heard that as Seagate's senior human resource staffing administrator, Loke was assigned to evaluate the bids by employment agencies to supply foreign workers. Unknown to her company, she was helping Mr Tan Cheng Hock of AA Recruitment Network to clinch the contract.
She coached the director of the recruitment firm on how to prepare the paperwork. She also evaluated the firm above the other bidders and it was granted the contract in September 2007. For her help, Mr Tan offered Loke $1,000 for each foreign worker recruited. On Nov 19, 2007, he handed her a paper bag containing 140 $1,000 notes at a coffee shop in Woodlands Civic Centre.
Loke also pleaded guilty to cheating the previous recruitment agency to pay for her air tickets to Qingdao in China in November 2006 on the pretext that she was required to check on the training sessions of new workers. For corruption, she could be fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed up to five years. For cheating, she could be fined $10,000 and/or jailed up to three years.
