SCDF and CNB chiefs on bail, in separate investigations

[lianbeng]

lianbeng asked: did she also suck him?

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

SCDF's purchasing asst director takes stand in Peter Lim's trial
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 21 February 2013 1701 hrs

Former SCDF chief Peter Lim (C) arrives for the start of the first tranche of his trial. (Photo: Lim Wee Leng, Mediacorp)

SINGAPORE: The chairman of a tender board must separate himself from any dealings with a potential supplier if there's personal interest involved, including a scenario where oral sex has taken place.

This was the evidence given by assistant director of purchasing branch of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Mr Roger Wong, when he took the stand on the fourth day of the sex-for-contracts trial of ex-SCDF commissioner Peter Lim.

Mr Wong said the purchasing branch, which is in charge of the procurement processes of the SCDF, refers closely to the government instruction manual on how to conduct these processes, as a government officer would have access to privileged information.

This makes it necessary to prevent personal interests from conflicting with his official duties.

On Thursday, the prosecution reinforced its point that Lim should have exempted himself from the procurement process.

Lim sat on one of the tender boards that had the final approval on awarding tenders.

To illustrate the prosecution's point, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng painted scenarios to Mr Wong.

One of the scenarios revolves around the chairman of a tender board making enquiries about a product with a female sales representative of a company after they had oral sex.

He asked if there's conflict of interest here.

Mr Wong replied that there is, adding that there's a proper chain of processes for procurement, which does not involve the chairman of the tender board making basic enquiries.

In any case, the chairman should have declared this conflict of interest, since he has the final sign-off, he said.

It's the prosecution's case that Lim, after he has had oral sex with Ms Pang Chor Mui - a senior executive of Nimrod Engineering - contacted her to enquire about the supply of walk-through Radiation Portal Monitors, when the agency's need for these monitors was not made public.

It was also established that the SCDF had estimated the procurement value of the contract for the Radiation Portal Monitors to be S$958,000.

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand when the second tranche of the trial resumes in March.

- CNA/ck

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

SCDF could have unintentionally tipped off others before tender, court heard
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 20 February 2013 2252 hrs

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim (L) arrives in court (File photo: Lim Wee Leng, MediaCorp)

SINGAPORE : Two companies could have known about the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) need for additional radiation detection equipment even before a tender was launched.

This was revealed on Day Three of the sex-for-contracts case involving former SCDF chief Peter Lim.

Lim is on trial for obtaining oral sex from a senior executive with Nimrod Engineering at a carpark in Stadium Walk in May 2010 - in exchange for furthering her company's business interests with the SCDF.

Lim is accused of tipping off Nimrod Engineering about SCDF's need for radiation detection devices before a tender was launched.

His one-time lover Pang Chor Mui was the general manager of the company at the time.

It has been established in court that Ms Pang directed her colleague to do a search for walk-through radiation portal monitors around the same time Lim asked his officers to look into acquiring more of these devices.

But it emerged in court on Wednesday that two other companies could have been tipped off unintentionally as well.

This is because the SCDF had made enquiries with them even before the tender went public on April 6 2011, as it needed to acquire more walk-through radiation portal monitors.

This followed a directive from the Home Affairs Ministry after the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. The ministry had told SCDF to prepare to scan incoming passengers due to a radiation fallout from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

SCDF's logistics director Colonel Chin Lai Fong took the stand on Wednesday and said Lim had asked his officers on March 17 to check if some of the monitors the SCDF owned could be fixed, or if new ones were needed.

Colonel Chin then contacted SECOM - SCDF's existing vendor for these devices - to check their price and availability.

When asked why she decided to check the prices with SECOM, Colonel Chin said: "We wanted to check the market price if we decided to go for an open tender."

Another firm, IPS Securex, was invited to do a product demo.

Colonel Chin said she did not see anything wrong with arranging for the demo, as the purpose was purely exploratory and a way to assess if the equipment was suitable.

Ms Chin emphasised that she did not give either company specifics of what the SCDF needed and thus did not consider this to be insider information.

The former director of the Hazardous Materials Department, Lian Wee Teck, also said he did not think any law had been breached by these enquiries - given the urgent need for these devices.

He had already assumed a limited tender would be called.

It was Lim who later decided - on 31 March 2011 - to call an open tender, after fears of radiation contamination had eased.

This meant more companies could place bids. Both SECOM and Nimrod Engineering placed bids when the tender was launched on April 6.

Both SCDF officers defended the agency's procurement processes and said a rigorous system of checks ensured fairness and transparency.

Decisions must be made independently by both the evaluation committees and the tender board panels.

For example, a tender cannot be awarded if even one of the three officials on a tender board does not agree with the recommendations made by the committee. Lim sat on two tender boards that gave the final approval of all tenders awarded.

The defence also revealed that Lim - before becoming commissioner - had helped formulate some of these checks and balances.

For example, Lim had come up with the idea of ensuring the various evaluation committees were well-balanced, and comprised members of departments different from the user requesting the product.

When told of this, Colonel Lian said he did not know this, but had found it to be believable as Lim was known to have a systematic and structured manner of doing things and was known to be an "analytical" man.

The trial continues.

- CNA/ms

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Corruption trial of ex-chief SCDF extended by 4 days
Posted: 25 February 2013 1240 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: The corruption trial of former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Peter Lim, has been extended by four days.

Lim's lawyers said four additional trial dates have been set as the initial schedule of eight days over February and March were not sufficient.

The trial will resume on 15 March.

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui of Nimrod Engineering in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

Ms Pang was a general manager when she allegedly had oral sex with Lim in May 2010 at a carpark in Stadium Walk.

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand as a witness for the prosecution during the trial from 18 March.

Nine other charges of corruption against Lim were stood down in 2012 and will be dealt with separately.

The charges involve sex with two other women - senior executives Esther Goh of IT firm NCS and Ms Lee Wei Hoon of Singapore Radiation Centre.

- CNA/ck

 

[Anonymouse]

Corruption trial of ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim resumes
By Claire Huang | Posted: 15 March 2013 1946 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: The woman at the centre of the corruption trial involving former head of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Peter Lim Sin Pang, is slated to testify on Monday, when the trial resumes.

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining sexual favour from Ms Pang Chor Mui of Nimrod Engineering, in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

This information came at the end of session on Friday, after the court heard evidence from two SCDF officers.

On Friday morning, assistant director of the purchasing branch at SCDF, Roger Wong, continued to take the stand after the first tranche of the trial in February.

The prosecution's case is that Lim tipped off Nimrod Engineering about the SCDF's need for walk-through radiation portal monitors (RPMs) even before the information was made public.

The tender was published on the government e-procurement website GeBiz on 6 April 2011.

Previously, the prosecution made the point that Lim had broached the topic of getting more of these machines on either 16 or 18 March.

This was around the same time Ms Pang instructed a colleague to source for suppliers of these machines.

This, as SCDF had been instructed to carry out radiation screening on passengers arriving into Singapore following the Japanese earthquake in 2011 that damaged a nuclear plant.

On Friday, the defence made the point that as at May 2010, two things were unknown.

One, that the earthquake would happen and trigger a nuclear meltdown and two, SCDF was not fully aware which of its machines were defective and which were functional.

Of all the machines SCDF had in 2011, only three were fully functional on 17 March.

Some repairs had to be done and the next day, only six were working.

It's the defence's case that the unforeseen circumstances led to the calling of the tender and was not pre-planned.

It was also established that the SCDF had estimated the procurement value of the contract for the Monitors to be S$958,000.

Later in the day, the court heard Colonel Francis Ng, head of the harzardous material division, testify to being the one who chose not to award the tender to Nimrod.

He said this was because on paper, Nimrod satisfied the criteria, but not in terms of actual operational needs.

When asked by defence, Mr Ng said Lim did not instruct him to award the tender to Nimrod, despite the firm being the cheapest.

He also admitted that Lim had approved the evaluation committee's recommendation to not award the tender to Nimrod.

Mr Ng later explained that the SCDF had the right to award the tender to another pricier bid if the lowest bid did not meet its needs.

The trial continues.

- CNA/ck

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief's trial: Lim could not have predicted need for radiation detectors in 2010

Published on Mar 15, 2013
By Tham Yuen-c

Peter Lim, arrives in court on March 15, 2013. There was no way Peter Lim Sin Pang would have known that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) would need to acquire radiation detectors when he had a tryst with Ms Pang Chor Mui in 2010. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

There was no way Peter Lim Sin Pang would have known that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) would need to acquire radiation detectors when he had a tryst with Ms Pang Chor Mui in 2010.

In fact, no one in the SCDF could have predicted the need, since it was sparked by the Fukushima nuclear crisis in Japan, which was caused by an earthquake in March 2011, said defence lawyer Hamidul Haq in court on Friday.

Mr Haq is defending Lim, the former SCDF chief who is charged with corruptly obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang in exchange for furthering the business interests of her then employer.

He said that it was because of the crisis in Japan that resulted in the SCDF being asked by the Ministry of Home Affairs to scan passengers arriving from Japan for radiation. The SCDF then called for a tender for radiation monitors.

It is this April 2011 tender that the prosecution has linked to Lim's and Ms Pang's sexual encounter in May 2010, alleging that he had tipped her off about it before it was made public.

While cross examining prosecution witness Roger Wong Kok Buk from the SCDF, Mr Haq said Lim could not have possibly predicted in May 2010 that an earthquake would happen a year later.

The defence lawyer also made the point that Lim's decision to call for an open tender, as opposed to limiting the tender to SCDF's existing supplier Secom, had been in line with procurement principles. It was also done in the best interests of the SCDF, he added.

 

[Anonymouse]

Woman at centre of Peter Lim trial to appear on Monday

RazorTV
Saturday, Mar 16, 2013

SINGAPORE: The second tranch of former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim's sex for contracts trial began on Friday and while the woman at the centre of the case, former general manager of Nimrod Engineering Ms Pang Chor Mui, was nowherein sight, the proseuction revealed that Ms Pang will be called to the stand when the trial resumes on Monday.

Lim is charged with corruptly receiving oral sex from Ms Pang in May 2010 in exchange for furthering the business interests of her former company Nimrod Engineering.

During the first tranch of the trial, the prosuection sought to show that Lim had leaked information to Ms Pang about SCDF's need for radiation portal monitors, or RPMs, before the tender went public in April 2011.

During Friday's cross-examination of SCDF Colonel Roger Wong, defence lawyer Hamidul Haq said that at the time of the alleged offence in May 2010, Lim could not have known that SCDF would need to acquire the RPMs as he could not have predictd the earthquake at Fukushima in March 2011.

In April 2011, following the Fukushima nuclear crisis, SCDF released a tender for RPMs to screen passengers coming from Japan for radiation.

Of the five companies that submitted the bid, only three met the technical specifcations of the tender: Nimrod Engineering, current vendor Secom, and the Singapore Radiation Centre.

Among the three, Nimrod Engineering gave the lowest price and aoccording to guidelines, should have been awarded the tender.

However, the second witness of the day, Colonel Francis Ng, director of Hazmat Department, said: "While Nimrod had met the specifications on paper, the machine it offered did not meet the operational requirements."

Colonel Ng said that Nimrod's equipment would need to be deployed in a clean environment but that the operation site has contamination and hence cannot give an accurate reading.

Colonel Ng called this a tricky situation and added that he did not consult then commissioner Peter Lim on this.

He also said that Lim did not instruct him to award the tender to Nimrod and had accepted the evaluation committee's verdict of "no award" for the tender.

The trial continues on Monday when star witness Ms Pang Chor Mui is expected to take the stand.

 

[Anonymouse]

Woman at centre of ex-SCDF chief's corruption trial takes the stand
By Claire Huang | Posted: 18 March 2013 2226 hrs

Ms Pang Chor Mui, the woman at the centre of Peter Lim's corruption trial arrives in court with escorts. (Photo: Lim Wee Leng)

SINGAPORE: The woman at the centre of the corruption trial of the former head of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Peter Lim Sin Pang, told the court that he had called to ask if her company carried radiation portal monitors shortly before a government tender was called.

Fifty-two-year-old Peter Lim is accused of obtaining sexual favour from 49-year-old Mdm Pang, in exchange for advancing her company's - Nimrod Engineering- business interests.

But the prosecution said there are nine parts of Mdm Pang's evidence that are inconsistent with her statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

So they have applied to cross-examine their key witness, Mdm Pang.

Such a move by the prosecution usually leads to the impeachment of its witness' credibility.

With impeachment, the judge will have to decide at the close of trial, which evidence and statement to be taken into consideration.

Mdm Pang arrived in court on Monday morning, accompanied by her own escorts.

The mother-of-one recounted how she first met Peter Lim in 1996 at a work conference. She said they kept in contact mostly via what she called "playful" text messages.

When asked to elaborate and give examples, she said she could not recall but described them as "light-hearted banter".

From 2006 to 2009, when Mdm Pang was with Nimrod Engineering, the two met for about three lunches.

At the end of 2009, Nimrod was awarded an SCDF contract, which was not the contract involved in the charge against Lim.

Mdm Pang testified that it was the first SCDF contract the firm had landed since she joined the company in 2006.

When she was told of the project, she sent Lim a "thank you" message.

Mdm Pang said she had sent the message out of courtesy.

She added she did not think Lim would have been involved in approving the S$13,000 contract, which she described as "small".

Previously, the court heard Lim had signed off on the contract.

The divorcee went on to describe her first sexual encounter with Lim in May 2010.

He had been drinking and had called her to give him a lift home as she had previously made such an offer.

The sexual encounter occurred after she sent Lim to his home in Tanjong Rhu.

She parked along a road, which was a short distance away from his condominium, and started chatting with him.

Saying one thing led to another, Mdm Pang said she liked Lim a lot and went on to perform oral sex on him.

The prosecution's case is that Lim tipped off Nimrod Engineering about SCDF's need for walk-through radiation portal monitors (RPMs), even before the information was made public.

SCDF had called for an open tender in April 2011.

The tender was published on the government e-procurement website GeBiz on April 6, 2011.

A few weeks after the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, Mdm Pang said Lim called her up and asked if Nimrod carried any machines that screened radiation.

She asked what he was looking for and Lim said just a basic unit. No other details were given.

Then Mdm Pang instructed her colleague to look for a basic machine.

In late April, she had a discussion with the managing director of Nimrod, Tamil Selvan, who decided to bid for the project.

During the discussion, Mdm Pang said she was reluctant to bid for the project as there were many considerations, such as the maintenance of the machines for 10 years and having to train people to operate the machines.

But as Mr Selvan decided to go for it, Nimrod put in a bid at the eleventh hour.

But Mdm Pang said SCDF cancelled the tender in July and put up another one in November.

The court also heard the prosecution alleging that the affair between Lim and Mdm Pang did not continue, because of her "intimate and non-sexual friendship" with Mr Selvan.

No other detail on this was mentioned in court.

The trial continues.

- CNA/ck

 

[Anonymouse]

Woman at centre of corruption trial first met ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim in 1996

Published on Mar 18, 2013

Ms Pang Chor Mui, (left), the woman at the centre of a corruption charge against former civil defence chief Peter Lim Sin Pang (right), first met him when he was a major, she said taking the stand for the first time during the sex-for-contracts trial on Monday. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM SIN THAI AND WONG KWAI CHOW

By Tham Yuen-c

The woman at the centre of a corruption charge against former civil defence chief Peter Lim Sin Pang first met him when he was a major, she said taking the stand for the first time during the sex-for-contracts trial on Monday.

The two met in 1996 when Ms Pang Chor Mui was working for a company that sold mass decontamination portals to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Lim, then a major, was invited to attend an exercise in Norway by the product's supplier, and Ms Pang was the company representative who took him and one of his colleagues there.

Replying to Deputy Public Prosecutor Sherlyn Neo's questions on Monday, Ms Pang referred to Lim by his Chinese name, "Sin Pang", and said they had met for lunch a few times after the trip and kept in touch. But in 1998 after her divorce, the two lost contact as she was busy with work and had to take care of her son.

It was only after Lim was appointed SCDF commissioner in 2009, and Ms Pang had joined Nimrod Engineering, that the two re-connected over text messages and met up again. While on the stand, Ms Pang also said she had sent Lim a "thank you" message after Nimrod Engineering won a contract to supply walkthrough and handheld metal detectors to the SCDF in Dec 2009. She said she had sent the message out of courtesy, and did not think Lim would have been involved in approving the "small" contract worth about $13,000.

 

[Anonymouse]

Star witness in ex-SCDF chief trial Peter Lim's corruption trial claims she "liked him a lot"

Published on Mar 18, 2013
5:06 PM

The woman at the centre of the corruption charges against former civil defence chief Peter Lim Sin Pang, Ms Pang Chor Mui (above), 49, said she had performed a sex act on Lim because she "liked him a lot". -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Tham Yuen-c

The woman at the centre of the corruption charges against former civil defence chief Peter Lim Sin Pang said she had performed a sex act on Lim because she "liked him a lot".

Giving her testimony on her first day on the stand on Monday, Ms Pang Chor Mui, 49, said that she was giving Lim a ride home on May 2, 2010, when the two decided to stop for a chat. One thing led to another, and they ended up kissing and hugging. Soon, she was performing oral sex on Lim.

Lim is charged with corruption for obtaining sexual favours from Ms Pang on that night, in exchange for furthering the business interests of her then-employer Nimrod Engineering. She was a general manager there.

But their tryst was cut short, said Ms Pang, because it had dawned on her that they were in a very public place. While on the stand on Monday, Ms Pang revealed that at the time she had the encounter with Lim, she was in an "intimate relationship" with her boss, managing director of Nimrod Engineering. She said that the relationship was non-sexual, and both parties "cared for each other and supported each other'.

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng says Peter Lim Sin Pang will walk out a free man just like Ng Boon Gay because Pang Chor Mui's statements are inconsistent twisting n turning like Cecilia Sue!

 

[Anonymouse]

Prosecution cross-examines Pang following inconsistencies in CPIB statements
By Claire Huang | Posted: 19 March 2013 1109 hrs

Ms Pang Chor Mui, the woman at the centre of Peter Lim's corruption trial arrives in court with escorts. (Photo: Lim Wee Leng)

SINGAPORE: The corruption trial of the ex-chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Peter Lim, continued on Tuesday with the prosecution cross-examining its key witness, Madam Pang Chor Mui.

The move to question 49-year-old Mdm Pang follows after nine inconsistencies between her statements she gave to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and her evidence in court on March 18.

One area was her reasons for performing oral sex on Lim.

On March 18, she told the court she did it because she liked Lim a lot but in her CPIB statement, she said it was because she liked Lim and didn't want to antagonise him as it would not be good for their friendship and "her company's dealings with SCDF".

On Tuesday, as she took the stand for a second day, Mdm Pang also acknowledged that she was in a serious relationship with her boss, the managing director of Nimrod, Tamil Selvan, when she did Lim a sexual favour in May 2010.

She testified on March 18 that she and Mr Selvan had an intimate friendship that was non-sexual.

However on Tuesday, when asked by the prosecution if Mr Selvan was her boyfriend over the past five years, Mdm Pang agreed that he was.

She also admitted that she did not go further with Lim due to her relationship with Mr Selvan.

Another area with inconsistencies revolves around the tender for radiation portal monitors.

On the point that Lim alerted her about the need for the monitors, Mdm Pang testified on Tuesday that the move did not give Nimrod Engineering a head start when the SCDF called for a tender in April 2011.

She also said in court that Lim did not impress upon her the urgent need for the machines.

In her CPIB statement, she said it was the reason why Nimrod was "able to bid for the tender".

In another statement, she said Lim had urgently needed the machines and had asked her to source for them.

On Tuesday, she said it made no difference whether Lim alerted her about the need for the machines as other companies would have asked about them too.

This would mean that Nimrod would have to source for the machines inevitably.

Mdm Pang had previously testified that she did not talk to Lim about providing more information on the products Nimrod had.

In her CPIB statement, she told Lim she could get a staff to furnish him with the data if there is a need to.

An interesting point that came up when it was the defence's turn to cross-examine the witness was that the location listed in the charge against Lim differs from that given in Mdm Pang's evidence.

The defence had questioned Mdm Pang on the events leading to her performing oral sex on Lim.

She said she drove Lim home to his Tanjong Rhu apartment as he has had drinks before that but they wanted to continue chatting and so she drove from the condominium's main entrance to another spot.

When asked if it could have been a carpark, Mdm Pang said she doesn't know the place well but didn't recognise it to be so.

The defence then asked if she had driven to Stadium area instead of along a road as she had testified on March 18.

Mdm Pang firmly said "no way".

She explained she is very familiar with the Stadium area and would have recognised it.

At this point, the defence pointed out to the district judge that the charge against Lim states "a carpark at Stadium Walk".

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining sexual favour from Mdm Pang in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

- CNA/fa

 

[Anonymouse]

Sex-For-Contracts Trial: Extracts from court

The New Paper
Tuesday, Mar 19, 2013

There were several moments when Ms Pang Chor Mui lost her cool Monday.

This was especially so when Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sherlyn Neo questioned her about the SMSes she had exchanged with Peter Benedict Lim Sin Pang close to midnight on Dec 18 and the early hours of Dec 19, 2011.

Here is an extract of the SMSes, and the exchange between Ms Pang and DPP Neo.

Ms Pang: Oh Sin pang, how I wish...

Lim: ?

Ms Pang: You know...

Lim: Yes I know.

Ms Pang: Yes, thank you.

Lim: Just let me know when and where.

Ms Pang: Away from here if possible.

Lim: Kind of difficult unless I'm on business trip.

Ms Pang: Do you usually travel alone on business trips?

Lim: Nope.

Ms Pang: Oh dear.

DPP Neo: What did you mean when you said "how I wish"?

Ms Pang: This is what I meant by the playful fun ways we communicate. I said I wished to go to Disneyland since I always wanted to go to Disneyland. So I just said 'I wish', that was all.

DPP Neo: Why did you ask him if he travels alone?

Ms Pang: I just wanted to know if he travels alone on business trips. I have never asked him the question before.

DPP Neo: Then why did you use "oh dear"?

Ms Pang: It's something I always use. It's a habit I have that I always use "oh dear". I'm just vocalising my thoughts. I don't know if you're trying to read so much into these text messages, it doesn't mean anything, ok? Like I said, I'm always saying "oh dear".

DPP Neo: Do you use "oh dear" in a negative or positive sense in reply to a negative or positive kind of response?

Ms Pang: I cannot recall how I felt then but I was just replying text messages. Sometimes I may not use too much thought... If you ask me what's the thought process behind all these messages I feel like I don't know...I can't give you a answer whether it is positive or negative..

DPP Neo: Looking at some messages, when you sent him "you know...", he replied "yes i know". What did this mean?

Ms Pang: I don't know. Sometimes I say "you know", sometimes I don't want to say much. It's a bad habit perhaps. So I just say "you know..." It doesn't have to mean anything at all.

 

[Anonymouse]

 

[Anonymouse]

Pang Chor Mui forks out $2,000 a day for 6 bodyguards: Reports

AsiaOne
Tuesday, Mar 19, 2013

SINGAPORE - $2,000 a day. That is the estimated amount Ms Pang Chor Mui has been spending to hire six bodyguards to protect herself from public scrutiny, according to Chinese evening paper Shin Min Daily News.

These six personal bodyguards have been stationed outside the courthouse to form a cordon around her each time she entered and exited the premises. At times, they joined hands to form a human wall, blocking the media from taking photos.

Meanwhile, three of these bodyguards would further escort Ms Pang within the courthouse, even during toilet breaks.

Sources from the security industry said that hourly charges for a private security guard ranges from $75 to $100.

"The hourly charges to hire a personal bodyguard, starts from around $75 . But to ensure a tighter cordon of bodyguards, the hourly rate can go up $100," an insider in the security industry told the paper.

That works out to $2,000 a day for the entourage of six bodyguards that has been seen escorting her at the courts.

At the end of yesterday's trial, Ms Pang nearly forgot to don her sunglasses as she was about to exit the courthouse. Fortunately, one of the bodyguards was quick to remind her.

Besides the media, the security detail had to contend with the public trying to snap a photo of her.

Ms Pang arrived in court at 9.15am this morning clad in a black suit, and was immediately whisked away by six bodyguards, who formed a defensive ring around her.

The situation got chaotic as a crowed swarmed towards her, and her security detail had to intervene. One of the female bodyguard locked arms with Ms Pang, while the rest of the bodyguards tried to shield her.

According to Shin Min, Ms Pang appeared to be nervous and overwhelmed initially when she caught sight of the crowd, and lowered her head, trying to head a dash for the courtroom.

While waiting for the lift in the courthouse, she was seen panting, and took a while to regain her composure.

However, she seemed to have recovered as she entered the courtroom, and even managed a smile.

Meanwhile, former SCDF Chief Peter Lim, who arrived five minutes after Ms Pang had the same sombre expression on his face.

 

[Anonymouse]

Peter Lim's lawyer to cross-examine Pang on day 8 of corruption trial
By Claire Huang | Posted: 20 March 2013 1135 hrs

Ms Pang Chor Mui, the woman at the centre of Peter Lim's corruption trial arrives in court with escorts. (Photo: Lim Wee Leng)

SINGAPORE: The lawyer of ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim will cross-examine the prosecution's key witness, Madam Pang Chor Mui, on Day 8 of Lim's corruption trial on Wednesday.

The focus will be on nine areas of inconsistencies raised by the prosecution.

On Tuesday, the prosecution applied to cross-examine its own witness due to discrepancies between Madam Pang's statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), and her evidence in court.

One area was her reasons for performing oral sex on Lim.

On Monday, she told the court she did it because she liked Lim a lot.

However, in her CPIB statement, she said it was because she liked Lim and did not want to antagonise him as it would not be good for their friendship and "her company's dealings with SCDF". She later clarified that the CPIB statement was more accurate.

Another area with inconsistencies revolves around the tender for radiation portal monitors.

On the point that Lim alerted her about the need for the monitors, Mdm Pang testified on Tuesday that the move did not give Nimrod Engineering a headstart when the SCDF called for a tender in April 2011.

She also said in court that Lim did not impress upon her the urgent need for the machines. However, in her CPIB statement, she said it was the reason why Nimrod was "able to bid for the tender".

In another statement, she said Lim had urgently needed the machines and had asked her to source for them.

On Tuesday, she said it made no difference whether Lim alerted her about the need for the machines as other companies asked about them as well. This would mean that Nimrod would have to source for the machines inevitably.

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining sexual favour from Mdm Pang in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

The prosecution's case is that Lim tipped off Nimrod about SCDF's need for walk-through radiation portal monitors even before the information was made public.

-CNA/ac

 

[Anonymouse]

Inconsistent answers from key witness as Peter Lim's trial continues
By Claire Huang | Posted: 20 March 2013 1532 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: The key prosecution witness in the corruption trial of ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim continues to give inconsistent accounts of her reasons for performing oral sex on Lim.

On Wednesday, under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Madam Pang Chor Mui said there was no truth in her statement to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) that she performed oral sex on Lim as she did not want to antagonise him.

Previously, she had told the court that she performed oral sex on Lim in May 2010 because she liked him a lot. She then went on to say that what she had said in her CPIB statement was true -- that the sexual encounter happened as she liked Lim a lot and did not want to antagonise him.

However on Wednesday, on her third day in the stand, Mdm Pang said the officer taking her statement had told her that her initial answer -- that she liked Lim a lot -- was the "wrong answer".

She thought about it and decided to add another reason -- that she did not want to antagonise Lim.

Mdm Pang, 49, explained that she "wanted to get out of the place (CPIB)" and so she "just gave an answer".

"I was hoping that I could be released and I was really very tired through all these sessions," she said.

She also maintained that she told the truth in her CPIB statement and that she had not been lying.

Later, when probed further by the prosecution, Mdm Pang said: "I know that if I didn't complete that thing (the CPIB statement recording), I would not be able to leave that place (CPIB)."

Earlier, during cross-examination by the defence, Mdm Pang testified that she did not make any suggestion on the pricing of the bid for SCDF's tender.

On Lim asking if Nimrod Engineering carried walk-through radiation portal monitors, she agreed with the defence that the word she used in her statement to describe this should have been "informed" and not "alerted".

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining sexual favour from Mdm Pang in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

The prosecution's case is that Lim tipped off Nimrod about SCDF's need for the machines even before the information was made public.

-CNA/ac

 

[Anonymouse]

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim may have to testify in court
By Claire Huang | Posted: 20 March 2013 2138 hrs

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim (L) arrives in court (File photo: Lim Wee Leng, MediaCorp)

SINGAPORE: The former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Peter Lim may have to testify in court in his own defence on March 21 if the district judge decides there is sufficient evidence against him or prima facie.

This comes after prosecution wrapped up its case on Wednesday after its key witness, Madam Pang Chor Mui, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) recording officer told her she gave the "wrong answer".

Defence counsel Hamidul Haq had questioned her about the two reasons she gave the CPIB for performing oral sex on Lim.

Lim, 52, is accused of obtaining sexual favour from Mdm Pang in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

On March 18, Mdm Pang said she had a sexual encounter with Lim in May 2010 only because she liked him a lot.

However, on March 19, she clarified that her CPIB statement was more accurate.

In her statement, Mdm Pang listed two reasons - that she liked Lim a lot and didn't want to antagonise him.

She said it wouldn't be good for their friendship or the ties between Nimrod Engineering and SCDF.

On Wednesday, Mdm Pang said the CPIB recording officer Osman Ahamed told her that she liking Lim a lot was the wrong answer.

After giving it much thought, she then added another reason - that she didn't want to antagonise Lim.

The 49-year-old explained that she was "very tired" and "wanted to get out of the place (CPIB)", so she "just gave an answer".

"When I gave that "antagonise" (reason), I don't really mean it. I guess at that time, I just wanted to get out of the place. I just gave an answer. I was hoping that I could be released and I was really very tired through all these sessions," she said when the defence asked her.

This prompted the prosecution to ask Mdm Pang what she meant.

She said at the time of the recording, the word "antagonise" did not come to her mind.

Not wanting to antagonise Lim, she explained, was a possibility and that was why she told that to Mr Osman.

Later, when probed further by the prosecution, Mdm Pang said: "I know that if I didn't complete that thing (the CPIB statement recording), I would not be able to leave that place (CPIB)."

Having said that, Mdm Pang maintained she told the truth in her statement and that she had not been lying.

Another key point raised on Wednesday was that Nimrod benefited from Lim's tip off.

The prosecution's case is that Lim tipped off Nimrod about SCDF's need for the radiation portal monitors even before the information was made public.

On March 17, 2011, Lim asked Mdm Pang via text message if Nimrod had radiation portal monitors.

The next day, under Mdm Pang's instruction, her colleague started sourcing for a supplier.

The process took seven days.

On April 20, Nimrod decided to bid for the project, which closed on May 3.

Prosecution pointed out that Nimrod would not have been able to meet the deadline if not for the fact it already found a supplier as Lim had informed Mdm Pang.

While Mdm Pang explained that it would still have been possible had they not found a supplier by April 20, she admitted that it would have been more difficult without Lim's help.

Earlier in the day during Mr Haq's cross-examination, Mdm Pang testified that she did not make any suggestion on the pricing of the bid for SCDF's tender.

On Lim asking if Nimrod carried walk-through radiation portal monitors, she agreed with the defence that the word she used in her statement to describe this should have been "informed" and not "alerted".

SCDF officer Yazid Abdullah also testified in court for a few minutes in the afternoon.

In the last half hour of the hearing, the prosecution amended the location of the oral sex encounter in the charge against Lim, to "in the vicinity of Tanjong Rhu".

This comes after Mdm Pang testified that it was not at a carpark at Stadium Walk as stated previously.

Now that the prosecution has wrapped up its case, the defence will make submissions on March 21 to say that there is no case to answer.

If denied by the district judge, Lim will be taking the stand.

- CNA/fa

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Former SCDF chief Peter Lim still has case to answer even though key witness Pang Chor Mui contradicts herself: Prosecution

But key witness continues to contradict herself in court

Published on Mar 21, 2013

On her third day on the stand yesterday, Ms Pang Chor Mui, 49, was grilled by both the prosecution and defence on her use of the word "antagonise" in the CPIB statements. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Joyce Lim And Ian Poh

THE prosecution summed up its case against former civil defence chief Peter Lim Sin Pang yesterday, saying it had presented enough evidence to show that he had corrupt intent when he obtained oral sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui in May 2010.

But even as they said Lim had a case to answer, their key witness, Ms Pang, the former general manager of Nimrod Engineering, continued to contradict herself in court.

Ms Pang, 49, had allegedly been tipped off by Lim that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) needed radiation portal monitors before the information was made public.

On her third day on the stand yesterday, she was grilled by both sides over her use of the word "antagonise" in her statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) last year.

BACKGROUND STORY

WHAT SHE SAID

Ms Pang Chor Mui explaining to defence lawyer Hamidul Haq why she did not know how to answer the CPIB investigating officer, when asked why she feared "antagonising" Lim despite him not having asked her for oral sex:
"I didn't really mean it... I guess at that time I just wanted to get out of the place... I was really very tired through all these sessions (at the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau). So when he asked me again, I could not give a reason because it was not true. It was not really true."

Ms Pang, explaining to Deputy Public Prosecutor Sherlyn Neo how she decided to use the word "antagonise" in her statement:
"So it's something that I thought of (to say).

I wasn't lying. That went through my mind and (so) I said there could be a possibility (that she might have feared antagonising Lim) and that's why I vocalised it."

Ms Pang to DPP Neo on how close she was to Lim:
"To other people, there may be nothing to it because we hardly even meet, but to me, it's the mental connection. The connection is there, so to me, that is considered close."

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Judge rules ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim has case to answer
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 21 March 2013 1700 hrs

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim Sin Pang (R) arrives in court with his lawyer (File Photo: Kimberly Spykerman, Channel NewsAsia)

SINGAPORE: The former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Peter Lim, will take the stand in his corruption trial on Monday, after District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim ruled there is a case for him to answer.

Earlier, Lim's lawyer had challenged the evidence put forth by the prosecution.

Mr Hamidul Haq said in his submissions in court on Thursday that so far, the prosecution has shown only a "speculation of corruption", as opposed to a "real and distinct" possibility.

He said Lim has no case to answer.

Mr Haq said the prosecution has failed to show the link between corruption and the oral sex which took place between Lim and Madam Pang Chor Mui in May 2010, when Mdm Pang was a general manager of Nimrod Engineering.

He said evidence in court had shown that Mdm Pang had not been under any pressure when she performed oral sex on Lim.

He stressed that Lim had not solicited the oral sex from her.

Mr Haq said Mdm Pang performed the act in her personal capacity and not as an agent of Nimrod Engineering as she was not authorised by her company to secure business dealings with the SCDF.

There was also no evidence that Lim was beholden to Mdm Pang after the act took place as he had not indicated that he was prepared to do something for her in future.

"Such a charge must be premised on a word, act or suggestion that something would be done in return," said Mr Haq.

He pointed out that Lim had only made an enquiry with Mdm Pang on 17 March 2011 about walk-through radiation portal monitors.

Lim, he said, did not indicate that the SCDF was going to call a tender.

The prosecution, which wrapped up its case on Wednesday, had maintained that it had presented enough evidence to show that Lim had corrupt intent when he obtained oral sex from Mdm Pang.

- CNA/ir