Insight Down South
Published: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 7:45:29 AM
Graft trouble in paradise
INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH BY SEAH CHEAH NEE
Singapore’s image as an efficient, clean and corrupt-free country is under siege as high-profile corruption cases come to light.
THE trial for fraud of a senior official of Singapore’s admired anti-corruption body has shocked the city’s five million residents.
Under all criminal conditions, one body – the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) which originated under British rule – has steadfastly remained a pillar most Singaporeans feel they can rely on to ensure integrity.
That unquestioned faith may have been shaken in July as a result of the prosecution of Edwin Yeo, CPIB assistant director who faces 21 charges of fraud and other offences involving S$1.7mil (RM4.3mil).
Years ago, two junior officers had gone astray, but Yeo is a big fish none had expected to be caught.
His arrest is one of a number of serious corruption and sex scandals involving people in high public office in the past two years.
It threatens to upset the dream of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to stamp out graft among his top officials.
“Poor Lee! He now finds that all the sacrifice he made to make Singapore efficient, clean and corrupt-free is crumbling,” said Peter Chong.
Another Singaporean, Tan Kwong Moh, added: “This is very surprising news to many Singaporeans that a high-ranking CPIB officer is facing charges in court.”
It is not only civil servants but also private individuals – ranging from business CEOs and church pastors to footballers – who have muddied Singapore’s squeaky-clean image.
Integrity has become a casualty in post-Lee Singapore. The recent high profile spree has kept state investigators and the courts busy working overtime.
It comes as more Singaporeans are struggling to cope with rising prices and over-crowding and looking towards their cabinet ministers to improve their lives.
Some of the top officials who fell foul of the corruption law were highly paid, their salaries comparable with, if not higher than, peers in the more developed countries.
It was precisely to stop high-level corruption that led founding leader Lee to design in the 1980s the world’s highest pay scheme for ministers and high government echelon.
Many are also scholars, a breed of elites with good academic grades who had their bureaucratic careers mapped out in advance for them.
Opposition leader (Singapore People’s Party) Lina Chiam declared that high salaries will not deter corruption and urged the government to do away with them.
Her statement reflected general public sentiments, with several writers calling for Lee’s high-pay strategy to be scrapped because it is not effective in the new, globalised world.
Others want the authorities to lower dependency on scholars to govern and administer Singapore. Many could lack initiative and integrity.
“So much corruption committed by highly-paid people has proven that money and high grades cannot stifle greed or change character weakness,” one commentator said.
“We should lower government pay to move closer to the norm of the mature countries,” he added.
The list of Who’s Who of top bureaucrats charged or convicted for corruption took a turn in 2011.
Two top men of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) – Deputy Director Koh Seah Wee and manager Lim Chai Meng – were jailed for 22 years and 15 years respectively for cheating government agencies of S$12.5mil (RM32mil).
Other cases followed, including:
1) Former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim was sentenced to six months’ jail in sex-for-contract corruption case.
2) Another security chief, Ng Boon Gay, head of the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), was acquitted of a similar charge when the court found the witness “not credible”.
3) Segamat-born law professor Tey Tsun Hang of National University of Singapore (NUS) was jailed for five months in January for corruptly obtaining sex from an ex-student in return for better grades. He was sacked.
But the biggest story is the arrest of CPIB assistant director and head of field research and technical support. Edwin Yeo, 39, had allegedly misappropriated money intended for department use. One charge was for forgery.
A gambling habit was apparently the cause. CPIB is now considering banning its top officials from visiting casinos. Yeo had gambled away S$241,000 (RM616,000) at the Marina Bay Sands casino.
PM Lee Hsien Loong has set up an independent inquiry to look into the circumstances and recommend changes. Deputy PM Teo Chee Hean called the case “particularly serious”.
Some observers see this erosion of morality and ethics as inevitable in high-cost materialistic Singapore with so much money being circulated.
Singapore is run more as a business corporation rather than a city that is steeped in humanity and culture.
Too many Singaporeans, including the scholars and businessmen, actually subscribe to the “Greed is Good” theory to achieve success. Frequently successful entrepreneurs are honoured by the state more than social workers and charity volunteers.
Are we on the road of no return? Far from it – given Singapore’s revered graft rankings in the world.
In 2012, Singapore was ranked fifth globally by Transparency International for (least) corruption, although dropping from 1st place in 2011.
It was overtaken by Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Sweden.
DPM Teo said that despite what happened, the civil service remains largely corrupt-free with only one in five of graft probes involving a public officer. He gave no indication if there had been an increase or drop.
Generally, older Singaporeans want a tougher government response to hit high-level corrupt officers.
A retired teacher said if the trend is not nipped in the bud, Singapore could slide into a horrible future.
“When corruption catches hold here, it will do so slowly over a period of years. It won’t happen overnight. It will then be unstoppable,” he added.
Published: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 7:45:29 AM
Graft trouble in paradise
INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH BY SEAH CHEAH NEE
Singapore’s image as an efficient, clean and corrupt-free country is under siege as high-profile corruption cases come to light.
THE trial for fraud of a senior official of Singapore’s admired anti-corruption body has shocked the city’s five million residents.
Under all criminal conditions, one body – the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) which originated under British rule – has steadfastly remained a pillar most Singaporeans feel they can rely on to ensure integrity.
That unquestioned faith may have been shaken in July as a result of the prosecution of Edwin Yeo, CPIB assistant director who faces 21 charges of fraud and other offences involving S$1.7mil (RM4.3mil).
Years ago, two junior officers had gone astray, but Yeo is a big fish none had expected to be caught.
His arrest is one of a number of serious corruption and sex scandals involving people in high public office in the past two years.
It threatens to upset the dream of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to stamp out graft among his top officials.
“Poor Lee! He now finds that all the sacrifice he made to make Singapore efficient, clean and corrupt-free is crumbling,” said Peter Chong.
Another Singaporean, Tan Kwong Moh, added: “This is very surprising news to many Singaporeans that a high-ranking CPIB officer is facing charges in court.”
It is not only civil servants but also private individuals – ranging from business CEOs and church pastors to footballers – who have muddied Singapore’s squeaky-clean image.
Integrity has become a casualty in post-Lee Singapore. The recent high profile spree has kept state investigators and the courts busy working overtime.
It comes as more Singaporeans are struggling to cope with rising prices and over-crowding and looking towards their cabinet ministers to improve their lives.
Some of the top officials who fell foul of the corruption law were highly paid, their salaries comparable with, if not higher than, peers in the more developed countries.
It was precisely to stop high-level corruption that led founding leader Lee to design in the 1980s the world’s highest pay scheme for ministers and high government echelon.
Many are also scholars, a breed of elites with good academic grades who had their bureaucratic careers mapped out in advance for them.
Opposition leader (Singapore People’s Party) Lina Chiam declared that high salaries will not deter corruption and urged the government to do away with them.
Her statement reflected general public sentiments, with several writers calling for Lee’s high-pay strategy to be scrapped because it is not effective in the new, globalised world.
Others want the authorities to lower dependency on scholars to govern and administer Singapore. Many could lack initiative and integrity.
“So much corruption committed by highly-paid people has proven that money and high grades cannot stifle greed or change character weakness,” one commentator said.
“We should lower government pay to move closer to the norm of the mature countries,” he added.
The list of Who’s Who of top bureaucrats charged or convicted for corruption took a turn in 2011.
Two top men of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) – Deputy Director Koh Seah Wee and manager Lim Chai Meng – were jailed for 22 years and 15 years respectively for cheating government agencies of S$12.5mil (RM32mil).
Other cases followed, including:
1) Former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim was sentenced to six months’ jail in sex-for-contract corruption case.
2) Another security chief, Ng Boon Gay, head of the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), was acquitted of a similar charge when the court found the witness “not credible”.
3) Segamat-born law professor Tey Tsun Hang of National University of Singapore (NUS) was jailed for five months in January for corruptly obtaining sex from an ex-student in return for better grades. He was sacked.
But the biggest story is the arrest of CPIB assistant director and head of field research and technical support. Edwin Yeo, 39, had allegedly misappropriated money intended for department use. One charge was for forgery.
A gambling habit was apparently the cause. CPIB is now considering banning its top officials from visiting casinos. Yeo had gambled away S$241,000 (RM616,000) at the Marina Bay Sands casino.
PM Lee Hsien Loong has set up an independent inquiry to look into the circumstances and recommend changes. Deputy PM Teo Chee Hean called the case “particularly serious”.
Some observers see this erosion of morality and ethics as inevitable in high-cost materialistic Singapore with so much money being circulated.
Singapore is run more as a business corporation rather than a city that is steeped in humanity and culture.
Too many Singaporeans, including the scholars and businessmen, actually subscribe to the “Greed is Good” theory to achieve success. Frequently successful entrepreneurs are honoured by the state more than social workers and charity volunteers.
Are we on the road of no return? Far from it – given Singapore’s revered graft rankings in the world.
In 2012, Singapore was ranked fifth globally by Transparency International for (least) corruption, although dropping from 1st place in 2011.
It was overtaken by Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Sweden.
DPM Teo said that despite what happened, the civil service remains largely corrupt-free with only one in five of graft probes involving a public officer. He gave no indication if there had been an increase or drop.
Generally, older Singaporeans want a tougher government response to hit high-level corrupt officers.
A retired teacher said if the trend is not nipped in the bud, Singapore could slide into a horrible future.
“When corruption catches hold here, it will do so slowly over a period of years. It won’t happen overnight. It will then be unstoppable,” he added.
