Disciplinary action can be considered: MHA
By Joyce Hooi
The Business Times
Monday, Jan 30, 2012
THE criminal repercussions for two senior civil servants from the ongoing Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) probe remain unknown, but there is 'sufficient basis' for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to consider disciplinary action.
According to MHA, it learnt this last Friday when CPIB told it
'although their criminal investigations have not been completed, there was sufficient basis for the ministry to consider civil service disciplinary action for misconduct'.
MHA revealed this in a statement yesterday with the header: 'No delay in releasing news of CPIB probe'. In it, the ministry said it had not delayed releasing information on the corruption probe involving two senior officials; ongoing investigations meant that a 'public announcement at that point could have compromised CPIB investigations'.
The ministry had confirmed that a probe on the former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chiefs was taking place after Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao broke the story on Tuesday, weeks after the arrests had been made.
It said it had already made plans to make the public announcement on Jan 25, two days after news broke, but moved it forward by a day as 'news of the investigations had already appeared'.
Peter Lim Sin Pang, then the commissioner of SCDF, and Ng Boon Gay, then the director of CNB, were arrested on Jan 4 and Dec 19, respectively. Both men are now out on bail. The arrests had been made following allegations of 'serious personal misconduct', according to MHA.
The ministry also said it had already taken action to interdict, or suspend, the two officers from their duties effective Jan 25 and had started disciplinary proceedings.
Since the news broke, speculation has been rife about an unnamed woman who allegedly had a relationship with both Mr Ng and Mr Lim, alongside reports about the tender and procurement practices of the agencies coming under scrutiny.
Speaking on the sidelines of River Hongbao 2012 - an event hosted by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean said: 'I am quite disappointed that these two cases have arisen. Nevertheless, it does demonstrate the strength of our system - that any such allegations will be fully and thoroughly investigated. CPIB is an independent organisation and it determines for itself how to proceed with the investigation.'
In response to a question about how long the investigations will take, Mr Teo said: 'This is in the hands of the CPIB and when they have fully investigated the case, it will be referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers - those are the legal proceedings.'
If the civil service proceedings are based on similar facts, Mr Teo added, the legal proceedings are usually completed before the civil service proceedings.
Separately, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday: 'Whoever he is, whichever position he occupies, we will pursue the matter and settle it one way or another. If he did wrong, he must be punished; if he did nothing wrong, he must be exonerated.'
Mr Lee was speaking to reporters in Davos, Switzerland, where he attended the World Economic Forum.
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