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AMDK jin stupid, they dun know rich people has many passports?
- Thread starter k1976
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Why did the suspects in Singapore's new billion-dollar money-laundering case have so many passports?
By Will Jackson with wiresPosted 7h ago7 hours ago
The 10 foreigners Singapore police arrested last week in a billion-dollar money-laundering case were reported at the time to be citizens from a range of countries including China, Vanuatu, Cyprus, Türkiye and Cambodia.
However, all also had passports believed to have been issued by various other countries.
So where were these alleged money launderers really from and how might they have obtained all those passports?
What were the raids about?
Police said 400 officers fanned out across the city state last Tuesday, August 15, and launched simultaneous raids on residences at least nine locations, netting assets totalling $S1 billion ($1.15 billion).These included 94 properties, bank accounts with $S110 million, 50 vehicles, cash amounting to more than $S23 million, hundreds of luxury handbags and watches, fistfuls of jewellery and two gold bars.
The foreigners arrested were aged between 31 and 44, including a 40-year-old Cypriot national who jumped out of the second-floor balcony of his bungalow and was found hiding in a drain.
Twelve more were "assisting with investigations" and eight are still wanted, police said.
A police statement said the group was suspected to be laundering proceeds from overseas organised crime, including "scams and online gambling" and were charged with offences including money laundering, forgery and resisting arrest.
Some were found with one or even two extra passports for different countries.
David Chew, director of commercial affairs at the police force, said Singapore had "zero tolerance" for being used as a safe haven for criminals or their families and for banking facilities to be abused.
"Our message to these criminals is simple — if we catch you, we will arrest you. If we find your ill-gotten gains, we will seize them. We will deal with you to the fullest extent of our laws," he said.
Some were found with one or even two extra passports for different countries.
David Chew, director of commercial affairs at the police force, said Singapore had "zero tolerance" for being used as a safe haven for criminals or their families and for banking facilities to be abused.
"Our message to these criminals is simple — if we catch you, we will arrest you. If we find your ill-gotten gains, we will seize them. We will deal with you to the fullest extent of our laws," he said.
Moi ish poor man surviving on Gardenia, so dun know details De woh
Isn't Singapore supposed to be 'squeaky clean'?
Transparency International Australia chief executive Clancy Moore told the ABC that despite Singapore's reputation for strict enforcement of the law, it was actually an attractive place to set up shop for money launderers."Singapore offers criminals, crooks and kleptocrats one of the world's top secrecy jurisdictions to stash their illicit finances and proceeds from crime," Mr Moore said.
"It's home to many regional banking institutions, has a very low corporate tax and people can create company structures with a click of a mouse.
"For example, we know that many organised crime gangs and authoritarian regimes like the Myanmar junta use Singapore as their financial hub to clean their dirty money."
Where were the suspects originally from?
Among the nine men and one woman arrested were three citizens of China, three of Cambodia, one of Vanuatu, one of Türkiye and two of Cyprus.However, in the days following the raids it emerged that all were originally from China's Fujian province.
Among the items seized were extra passports for the suspects — in addition to their nominal citizenship — that police believed were issued by countries including Vanuatu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cambodia and Dominica.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08...affairs-rock-singaporean-government/102686612
All is not lost, we are in good hands... Keep calm
All is not lost, we are in good hands... Keep calm
Why Singapore's recent spate of scandals have rocked the country
By Will Jackson with wiresPosted Tue 8 Aug 2023 at 3:25amTuesday 8 Aug 2023 at 3:25am
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has promised transparency and accountability in the wake of a spate of scandals.(Reuters: Singapore Press Holding Media Trust/Lianhe Zaobao/Ray Chua)
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A series of recent scandals — including allegations of serious corruption — have rocked the Singaporean government and tarnished the city state's squeaky-clean image.
Last week, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong conceded the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) had "taken a hit" but said incidents involving ministers were rare and the government had "zero tolerance" for corruption.
"We will show Singaporeans that we will uphold standards and do the right thing, so that trust is maintained," he said.
Most commentators agree that the ruling party has been wounded by the scandals, but nowhere near fatally.
But does this episode show that the system is working as it should, or that without independent checks and balances more corruption is inevitable?
Corruption allegations and inappropriate relationships
In the space of a few days last month Singaporeans were shocked to learn that the Transport Minister, S Iswaran, had been arrested in connection with a corruption investigation, and then that two politicians — House Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and MP Cheng Li Hui — were stepping down because of an inappropriate relationship.Few details have been released about the case against Mr Iswaran, who was arrested along with billionaire Singapore Formula One GP promoter and hotel magnate Ong Beng Seng before both were released on bail.
Mr Lee said the MP had also been stood down and given reduced pay of S$8,500 ($9,640) a month until further notice.
Two other cabinet ministers had only just been cleared by the corruption watchdog in June, ending what was labelled the "Ridout Road Saga".
The pair were accused of misusing their positions to secure premium state-owned property at below market rates.
Meanwhile on the other side of the political divide, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) also lost two senior members, who also admitted last month to an inappropriate relationship despite earlier denials.
The WP said MP Leon Perera and youth wing president Nicole Seah handed in letters of resignation after a video circulated on social media showing them holding hands.
The flurry of misconduct is surprising because government scandals are rare in Singapore.
The repudiation of corruption has been a core principle since founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew took office in 1959 dressed with his team in white and vowing that leaders must be "whiter than white".
Ministers are paid more than S$1 million ($1.13 million) a year to discourage corruption and attract the best and brightest.
The last criminal corruption investigation was in 1986 — the accused MP took his own life before he could be charged — and the most recent resignations of members of parliament were in 2012 and 2016.
Still, many Singaporeans have been poring over the details and raising questions on social media.
During a press conference, Mr Lee said he knew about the relationship between the two parliamentarians in 2020, leaving many wondering why they were stepping down now.
He last week admitted he "should have forced the issue earlier".
Questions have also been raised about why it took a number of days for it to be revealed that Mr Iswaran had been arrested.
The pair were accused of misusing their positions to secure premium state-owned property at below market rates.
Meanwhile on the other side of the political divide, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) also lost two senior members, who also admitted last month to an inappropriate relationship despite earlier denials.
The WP said MP Leon Perera and youth wing president Nicole Seah handed in letters of resignation after a video circulated on social media showing them holding hands.
The flurry of misconduct is surprising because government scandals are rare in Singapore.
The repudiation of corruption has been a core principle since founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew took office in 1959 dressed with his team in white and vowing that leaders must be "whiter than white".
Ministers are paid more than S$1 million ($1.13 million) a year to discourage corruption and attract the best and brightest.
The last criminal corruption investigation was in 1986 — the accused MP took his own life before he could be charged — and the most recent resignations of members of parliament were in 2012 and 2016.
Government's handling questioned
In the wake of the scandals, the ruling PAP's leaders have promised transparency.Still, many Singaporeans have been poring over the details and raising questions on social media.
During a press conference, Mr Lee said he knew about the relationship between the two parliamentarians in 2020, leaving many wondering why they were stepping down now.
He last week admitted he "should have forced the issue earlier".
Questions have also been raised about why it took a number of days for it to be revealed that Mr Iswaran had been arrested.
Only if you are a gullible gongkia who really believes all that nonsense written in the memoirs written by a certain someone.
What will be the fallout for the ruling party?
National University of Singapore (NUS) political scientist Chong Ja Ian told Reuters that voters would judge the ruling party's actions at the polls, due by 2025."The unknown is how many voters find [the PAP's] actions have addressed issues of authority, restraint, position, privilege, oversight, and transparency to their satisfaction," he said.
"These events appear to have created some public speculation about the PAP's approach to privilege, restraint, and authority."
He added there was a danger Mr Lee's legacy could become associated with these events as he neared the end of his term.
Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow with NUS's Institute of Policy Studies, said the recent scandals would be only one of the many factors being considered by voters at the next election.
"Policy, performance of government as well as the personality and behaviour of politicians will be held in tension," she said.
"In all our post-election surveys, what really matters is 'efficient and effective government'.
"Hence, whatever demonstrates that will have a premium in the eyes of the voters."
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