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Ex-director of facilities management at Singapore Zoo accepted bribes of more than S$2.4 million
Barry Chong Peng Wee spent his millions in gratification on family cars, stereo systems, food expenses, a coffee machine and luxury items, including a S$15,900 Rolex.
The State Courts building in Singapore. (File photo: TODAY)
Koh Wan Ting
18 Feb 2025 03:22PM
SINGAPORE: A former director at the Singapore Zoo accepted bribes of more than S$2.4 million (US$1.8 million) in a scheme spanning more than a decade and involving at least eight companies.
Barry Chong Peng Wee @ Danial Chong, 57, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Feb 18) to 19 charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and one charge of buying property using his criminal proceeds.
Another 88 charges of a similar nature will be considered for sentencing on Apr 3.
Another 10 co-accused across eight companies were named in the offences involving Chong. Various employees from these companies gave bribes to Chong in exchange for being awarded projects or jobs from WRS.
At the time of the offences, Chong was the director of facilities management at the Singapore Zoological Gardens, a subsidiary of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which was renamed Mandai Wildlife Group in 2021.
He managed the upkeep of the zoo premises and procurement requests for rectification works, among other duties.
He had the power to approve the awarding of WRS jobs to contractors until 2013, when the job was handed over to a procurement team set up for the same purpose. The procurement team relied heavily on Chong's recommendations.
The corrupt scheme lasted from July 2005 to October 2016, stopping only when the Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau started investigations.
By then, Chong had obtained no less than S$2,437,862 in gratification. He spent the sum on family cars, stereo systems, food expenses, a coffee machine and shopping for luxury items.
Among these was a silver Rolex Daytona watch that Chong bought for S$15,900 in October 2013.
THE SCHEME
The corrupt scheme started around 2005. Chong and two others, Toh Siang Bee and Too Say Kiong, arranged for WRS jobs to be awarded to Shin Yong Construction (SYC) in exchange for money given to Chong.Toh Siang Bee was the founder of SYC, but has since died. His sons Toh Say Yong, 68, and Too, 57, were director and foreman at the company respectively.
After Toh Siang Bee died, Toh Say Yong and Too continued the corrupt arrangement. Chong would send the specifications of each job or project to Too and tell him the specific price to bid for.
Toh Say Yong or Too would ask other contractors to put in bids that were slightly higher to ensure that WRS would award the job to SYC.
After the project or job was awarded to SYC, Chong would put together a handwritten list of jobs for his commission. Toh Say Yong or Too would deliver this amount to Chong on a weekly basis.
Chong and Too agreed to look for other contractors to participate in the corrupt scheme in late 2013 or early 2014.
They roped in two sole proprietors of the companies Katana Engineering and Thiam Lee Tradings Construction, who also began passing money to Chong in envelopes.
The scheme was eventually continued by Toh Say Yong's son Toh Yong Soon, who began working in SYC between 2010 and 2011. Toh Yong Soon, a project manager, took over Too's role in operations after the latter was removed from SYC due to a dispute.
Toh Yong Soon later roped in companies Geoscapes, KKS Engineering, Ultron Construction, Hong Power Engineering, and KK Iron Engineering, which also paid commission to Chong.
Under this arrangement, Chong would call Toh Yong Soon regularly to inform him of upcoming projects or jobs that the five companies and SYC would bid for, and the specific prices they should bid to be awarded the project.
Toh Yong Soon would keep the other five companies in the loop. Chong also met Toh Yong Soon at least once a month for lunch, where Chong would provide a list of jobs awarded to the company and indicate the amount of commission he required.
Acting as the middleman, Toh Yong Soon would consolidate the cash from the companies to pass to Chong at least once a month.
Value of jobs that WRS awarded to the companies
Company | Total value of jobs awarded- Shin Yong Construction: S$10,533,641.30
- Geoscapes: S$3,886,555
- Ultron Construction: S$$3,709,321
- Thiam Lee Tradings Construction: S$2,239,602.11
- KK Iron Engineering: S$1,074,937
- Katana Engineering: S$$1,927,220
- Hong Power Engineering: S$1,090,295
- KKS Engineering: S$$14,300
For their roles in the scheme, Toh Say Yong was sentenced to a year and 10 months’ jail, Toh Yong Soon to three years and three months’ jail and Too to two years and two months' jail.
For corruption, Chong can be jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$100,000, or both.
For the charge of converting benefits of criminal conduct, Chong faces a jail term of up to seven years, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
