"In November 1985 one of Teh Cheang Wan’s (Minister for National Development) old associates told the CPIB that he had given Teh two cash payments of S$400,000 each in 1981 and 1982, to allow a development company to retain part of its land which had been earmarked for compulsory government acquisition, and to assist the developer in the purchase of state land. Teh denied receiving the money.
"He tried to bargain with the senior assistant director of the CPIB for the case not to be pursued. The cabinet secretary reported this and said Teh had asked to see me. I told the Cabinet Secretary that I could not see him until the investigations were over. A week later, on the morning of 15 December 1986, my security officer reported that Teh had died and left me a letter:
Prime Minister
I have been feeling very sad and depressed for the last two weeks. I feel responsible for the occurrence of this unfortunate incident and I feel I should accept full responsibility. As an honourable oriental gentleman I feel it is only right that I should pay the highest penalty for my mistake.
Yours faithfully,
Teh Cheang Wan
"Teh preferred to take his life rather than face disgrace and ostracism. I never understood why he took this S$800,000. He was an able and resourceful architect and could have made many millions honestly in private practice.
"Corruption has to be eradicated at all levels of government. But if there is corruption at highest levels of a government, the problem can become intractable. To clean up may require some key members of the core leadership to be removed.....
"An important factor is the salary of Ministers and government officials. They have enormous powers to grant or deny permits that can make or break businesses. When ministers and senior civil servants are paid salaries that are derisory compared to those of their counterparts in the private sector, officials and ministers will be tempted to take gifts.
"Whether it is policemen, immigration officers, customs officers or officers in charge of dispensing licences, it is dangerous to have them grossly underpaid. Over the last 40 years, Singapore has moved towards paying political and civil service officers 70-80% of what their equivalents are earning in the private sector, the formula is based on an average of 6 professions, their salaried incomes based on the income tax returns. This has enabled ministers and officials to live according to their station in society without extra sources of illicit income.
"Singapore has to keep fighting corruption wherever it exists and however difficult it may be politically. The system works because everyone knows the Singapore government is prepared to act against the most powerful in the land.
"In 1995 Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong ordered an investigation into purchases of two properties each made by my wife on my behalf and by my son Lee Hsien Loong, then deputy prime minister. The developer had given them unsolicited 5–7 per cent discounts on these purchases, as he had given to 5–10 per cent of his buyers at a soft launch to test the market.
"Because my brother was a non-executive director of the company, a rumour went around that my son and I had gained an unfair advantage. The Monetary Authority of Singapore investigated the matter and reported to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong that there was nothing improper.
"Nevertheless I asked the prime minister to take the matter to Parliament. In the debate, opposition MPs, including two lawyers, one a leader of the opposition, said that such discounts were standard marketing practice and was not improper. This open debate made it a non-issue in the general elections a year later.
"Leaders must be prepared for such scrutiny to keep the system clean.
"We have to keep our own house clean. No one else can do it for us."
"He tried to bargain with the senior assistant director of the CPIB for the case not to be pursued. The cabinet secretary reported this and said Teh had asked to see me. I told the Cabinet Secretary that I could not see him until the investigations were over. A week later, on the morning of 15 December 1986, my security officer reported that Teh had died and left me a letter:
Prime Minister
I have been feeling very sad and depressed for the last two weeks. I feel responsible for the occurrence of this unfortunate incident and I feel I should accept full responsibility. As an honourable oriental gentleman I feel it is only right that I should pay the highest penalty for my mistake.
Yours faithfully,
Teh Cheang Wan
"Teh preferred to take his life rather than face disgrace and ostracism. I never understood why he took this S$800,000. He was an able and resourceful architect and could have made many millions honestly in private practice.
"Corruption has to be eradicated at all levels of government. But if there is corruption at highest levels of a government, the problem can become intractable. To clean up may require some key members of the core leadership to be removed.....
"An important factor is the salary of Ministers and government officials. They have enormous powers to grant or deny permits that can make or break businesses. When ministers and senior civil servants are paid salaries that are derisory compared to those of their counterparts in the private sector, officials and ministers will be tempted to take gifts.
"Whether it is policemen, immigration officers, customs officers or officers in charge of dispensing licences, it is dangerous to have them grossly underpaid. Over the last 40 years, Singapore has moved towards paying political and civil service officers 70-80% of what their equivalents are earning in the private sector, the formula is based on an average of 6 professions, their salaried incomes based on the income tax returns. This has enabled ministers and officials to live according to their station in society without extra sources of illicit income.
"Singapore has to keep fighting corruption wherever it exists and however difficult it may be politically. The system works because everyone knows the Singapore government is prepared to act against the most powerful in the land.
"In 1995 Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong ordered an investigation into purchases of two properties each made by my wife on my behalf and by my son Lee Hsien Loong, then deputy prime minister. The developer had given them unsolicited 5–7 per cent discounts on these purchases, as he had given to 5–10 per cent of his buyers at a soft launch to test the market.
"Because my brother was a non-executive director of the company, a rumour went around that my son and I had gained an unfair advantage. The Monetary Authority of Singapore investigated the matter and reported to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong that there was nothing improper.
"Nevertheless I asked the prime minister to take the matter to Parliament. In the debate, opposition MPs, including two lawyers, one a leader of the opposition, said that such discounts were standard marketing practice and was not improper. This open debate made it a non-issue in the general elections a year later.
"Leaders must be prepared for such scrutiny to keep the system clean.
"We have to keep our own house clean. No one else can do it for us."
