Phrases used by parrots: "We take such ______ very seriously and will not hesitate to take action"

[mahjongking]

the police should build a 10 feet thick concrete wall and allowed these morons to drive at 300kph into it
then everyone would be safer on the roads and these fuckers will get a kick out of it at the same time, win win for all

 

[saynotomsm]

That's how they control people's conscious. Keep drilling the same thing over and over non stop.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

In a statement on Thursday evening, MTI said it takes "a very stern and serious view of this incident" and does not condone such misconduct.

2 JTC officers referred to AGC for untruths linked to wrongful clearing of Kranji woodland​

One of two plots of forested land cleared at Kranji Road, as seen on Feb 22, 2021. PHOTO: ST FILE

Ang Qing

Mar 11, 2022

SINGAPORE - Police investigations into the unauthorised clearing of Kranji woodland have found that two JTC officers had misrepresented facts and given inaccurate information to their superiors, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing told Parliament on Thursday (March 10).
The case has been referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), which will decide whether to bring charges against the officers, he said.
Separately, JTC said its board of directors will convene a disciplinary panel to consider appropriate disciplinary actions against the two officers, as well as their senior supervisors if they had breached their duties.
The two JTC officers - the project manager and his immediate supervisor, a deputy director - had told their superiors that the unauthorised clearance work on 4.5 hectares of the site was discovered by the project manager on Jan 13, 2021 during his site visit.
Mr Chan said this information was conveyed to MTI and incorporated into his answers in Parliament on Feb 26, 2021 when he was then Minister for Trade and Industry.
At that time, MPs had raised questions about the unauthorised clearance, which had come to light after aerial photos of the site appeared on social media.
Mr Chan said then that the unauthorised clearance occurred between late December 2020 and Jan 13, 2021.

Investigations have since found that clearance of those areas had commenced without NParks' approval before December 2020, said Mr Chan on Thursday.
Police also found that the project manager who was in charge knew of the unauthorised clearance prior to Jan 13, 2021, he added.
"His immediate superior, the deputy director, also knew. It appears that they misrepresented the facts and gave inaccurate information to their superiors," said Mr Chan.

Investigations have established that another two plots of land, which amount to more than 2.8 hectares, had also been cleared without NParks approval, he said.
Mr Chan's February 2021 answers had stated that clearance works were suspended from Jan 13, 2021. JTC has clarified that it stopped all tree felling but had continued with other minor work like vegetation clearing, he said.
The inaccurate information conveyed to MTI by the two JTC officers meant "some of the information I presented to Parliament, based on what they had said, was therefore inaccurate", he added.

Mr Chan, who spoke near the end of Thursday's Parliament sitting, said police have just concluded their investigations and presented their conclusions to him and other ministers earlier this week.
He said that after discussions with the AGC, he was satisfied that he could update Parliament on what the police have found but emphasised that the facts presented are based on the police's view.
"First, what I have said above is based on the police view, which could well be contested in court if the matter proceeds to court. And a court could take a different view of the facts," he said.
"Second, we need to be fair to the persons who may be charged; setting out the facts here should not prejudice their fair trial."

Given the unclear situation and factual disputes, the Government first wanted to rule out any possible corruption, he said. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) was asked to investigate, and concluded that there had been no corruption.
MTI is reviewing the investigation findings with JTC, and apart from possible court proceedings, MTI and JTC will take appropriate disciplinary measures against the individuals responsible, said Mr Chan.
In a statement on Thursday evening, MTI said it takes "a very stern and serious view of this incident" and does not condone such misconduct.
Separately, JTC chairman Tan Chong Meng said: "This is a serious incident and JTC acknowledges the lapses. JTC will remedy our shortcomings and improve our processes.
"We will tighten the execution of projects and compliance with rules, and ensure that JTC officers uphold the highest standards of integrity and governance in carrying out their duties."
The Kranji site is earmarked for industrial development. It comprised mainly unused scrubland left vacant after land occupied by the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway line was returned to Singapore in 2011.
Mr Chan also corrected his statement that the contractor who cleared the sites had not been paid for the unauthorised clearing in December 2020 and January last year.
He said investigations found that some payments had been made for the unauthorised clearance of the 4.5 hectares plot of land.
He said: “Erroneous information was provided by JTC Contract and Procurement (Construction) Division, who processed the payments without realising that the payments included felling of trees in areas that had not been approved for clearance.
“There was no intent by JTC staff to mislead.”
Investigations also found that payments had been made for clearance of another plot of land, which was also cleared without approval.
Mr Chan added that if due process had been followed, approval would have been given subject to the necessary conditions being met.
“However, regardless of whether approvals would have been forthcoming, the JTC officers had a duty to give the correct information to their supervisors and MTI,” he said.
“Failure to do so is wrong, and cannot be excused.”

---

3 clarifications on Kranji woodland clearance​

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Thursday (March 10) made three key clarifications to his reply on Feb 26, 2021 to MPs’ questions about the unauthorised clearing of some forested areas in Kranji woodland.
1. On Feb 26, 2021: Then Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Chan told Parliament that 4.5 hectares of the forested land there had been cleared between end December 2020 and Jan 13, 2021 without NParks’ approval.
The clarification: Investigations have since found that clearance of the 4.5 hectares commenced without NParks’ approval before December 2020.
Investigations suggest that two JTC officers had given inaccurate information to their JTC superiors about the time period that this erroneous clearing had taken place.
This information was then incorporated into Mr Chan’s February reply.
Investigations also found that another two plots of land, amounting to more than 2.8 hectares, had also been cleared without NParks’ approval.
2. On Feb 26, 2021: Mr Chan said unauthorised land clearing was discovered by JTC’s project manager on Jan 13, 2021 during his site visit.
All clearance works onsite were suspended immediately and remained suspended, he added.
The clarification: Investigations have since found that JTC’s project manager who was in charge, knew of the clearance before Jan 13, 2021.
His immediate superior, a deputy director, also knew.
It appears that they misrepresented the facts and gave inaccurate information to their superiors.
As for clearance works being suspended immediately from Jan 13, 2021, JTC has clarified that it stopped all tree felling but had continued with other minor work like vegetation clearing.
3. On Feb 26, 2021: Mr Chan said contractors had not been paid for the over-clearance in December 2020 and January 2021.
The clarification: Some payments had been made for the clearance, which included tree-felling.
This erroneous information that the contractors had not been paid was provided by a JTC division, which processed the payments without realising that they were for the unauthorised clearance of trees in December 2020 and January 2021.
Investigations have also found that payments were made for unauthorised clearance that took place before December 2020 involving some parts of the 4.5 hectares of forested land and another plot.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

...the AGC said it "takes a serious view of any act that may constitute contempt, and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to protect the administration of justice".

AGC flags potential contempt over false allegations in Malaysian drug trafficker's case​

These false allegations were asserted in an affidavit filed by Nagaenthran's mother, Madam Panchalai Supermaniam. PHOTO: AFP

Selina Lum
Senior Law Correspondent

Apr 27,2022

SINGAPORE - Various individuals and groups, in and outside Singapore, had repeated false allegations that sought to cast aspersions on the involvement of Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon in the case involving Malaysian drug trafficker Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, said the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).
In a statement released on Wednesday (April 27) after Nagaenthran was hanged, the AGC said it "takes a serious view of any act that may constitute contempt, and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to protect the administration of justice".
These false allegations were asserted in an affidavit filed on Monday (April 25) by Nagaenthran's mother, Madam Panchalai Supermaniam, in an eleventh-hour attempt to halt his execution that was dismissed by the court on Tuesday.
Nagaenthran, 33, was convicted of trafficking 42.72g of heroin in 2010 and given the mandatory death penalty.
He had exhausted his rights of appeal and was first scheduled to be hanged on Nov 10 last year, but filed a last ditch application seeking to challenge his death sentence.
On March 29, a five-judge Court of Appeal, led by Chief Justice Menon, rejected his bid, calling it a blatant and egregious abuse of the court's processes.
Nagaenthran's lawyers had claimed he was mentally disabled but the court said there was no admissible evidence to support this.

The inmate's execution was rescheduled to April 27 but his mother, Madam Panchalai Supermaniam, joined him in filing another last-minute application to halt the execution.
Court papers filed on behalf of mother and son on April 25 sought to stay the execution on the ground that Chief Justice Menon ought not to have presided over Nagaenthran's matters, as his tenure as Attorney-General overlapped with Nagaenthran's prosecution.
This application was dismissed on Tuesday by a three-judge court, led by Justice Andrew Phang.

In Wednesday's statement, the AGC said it was the seventh application, not including appeals, brought by Nagaenthran after his appeal against conviction was dismissed in 2011, more than 10 years ago.
"It is the latest attempt to abuse the court's processes and unjustifiably delay the carrying into effect of the lawful sentence imposed on Nagaenthran," said the statement.
The AGC noted that Madam Panchalai, in representing herself, claimed that her application and affidavit had been prepared and filed with the assistance of "friends and social activists".

Reiterating its arguments before the court on Tuesday, the AGC said in the statement that the legal papers for this latest application were clearly prepared under legal advice.
The AGC noted that the correspondence e-mail address [email protected] provided by Madam Panchalai did not appear to be hers, and the legal papers had been signed by someone else.
"It appeared that those advising Madam Panchalai had deliberately failed to inform her that Nagaenthran had expressly stated that he had no objections to (Chief Justice Menon) hearing his matters, and that there was therefore no basis for her application."
The AGC noted that Nagaenthran had expressly confirmed in 2016, under legal advice, that he had no objections to Chief Justice Menon hearing his case.
This confirmation, which is in the court's records, was made after it had been specifically brought to his counsel's attention that Chief Justice Menon's tenure as Attorney-General overlapped with Nagaenthran's criminal proceedings, said the AGC.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

"MHA has zero tolerance of acts of violence against public servants who are carrying out their duties and will not hesitate to take strong action against those who do so," the ministry added.

Australian private jet pilot deported for hurting and abusing cops while drunk​

Mr Cameron Lachlan Milne's employment pass was cancelled and he has been barred from re-entering Singapore. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Adeline Tan

May 12, 2022

SINGAPORE- An Australian private jet pilot who had caused a nuisance and abused police officers while he was drunk has been deported from Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday (May 11).
The incident happened after Mr Cameron Lachlan Milne, 41, had alcoholic drinks at a hotel in the Marina Bay area on the evening of June 14, 2018.
While drinking earlier with friends in the Boat Quay area, he had consumed two pints of beer, and later shared two bottles of vodka with friends at a bar in Pan Pacific Singapore.
He left the bar in the wee hours of June 15 to buy water at a nearby mall, while workers were carrying out cable installation works in the vicinity.
Mr Milne climbed into the lorry used for the installation works and threw the equipment around. The supervisor called the police after he refused to get down from the lorry.
When Mr Milne attempted to run away, he fell and pulled a national serviceman, who had been escorting the workers, along with him, tearing the NSman's shirt in the process.
After the police arrived, Mr Milne was arrested for causing annoyance while drunk, said MHA.


While in the police car, he repeatedly kicked the driver's and front passenger's seats where two police officers were seated.
An officer in the backseat tried to restrain Mr Milne but was kicked on the left side of the head behind his ear and suffered injuries. Mr Milne also tried to bite the officer's hand twice and hurled various abusive words at the three officers in the car.
On March 18, he was sentenced to 10 weeks' jail and fined $5,000 for offences such as causing hurt and using abusive words to a public servant, as well as causing annoyance to others while drunk.
Five other similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
MHA said Mr Milne's employment pass was cancelled after his conviction, and he was deported on Wednesday after serving his sentence. He has been barred from re-entering Singapore.
"MHA has zero tolerance of acts of violence against public servants who are carrying out their duties and will not hesitate to take strong action against those who do so," the ministry added.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

The spokesman added: "ICA takes a serious view of attempts to enter or depart Singapore illegally and will not hesitate to prosecute offenders for such cases.

Couple in undelivered luxury goods saga fled Singapore in lorry container compartment: ICA​

The victims claimed they had made advance payments for luxury watches or luxury bags to the couple, who failed to deliver them. PHOTOS: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Nadine Chua

July 20, 2022

SINGAPORE - The couple who fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury goods, worth at least $32 million, to customers did so by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said this on Wednesday (July 20).
In response to queries from The Straits Times, an ICA spokesman said a 40-year-old Malaysian man helped the couple leave Singapore illegally.
According to court documents, the man, Mohamed Alias, allegedly aided a female Thai national who did not present her Thai passport to an immigration officer at the authorised departing location.
The spokesman said the man allegedly hid the woman and her husband in a lorry's container compartment. His case has been adjourned to Friday (July 22).
The spokesman added: "ICA takes a serious view of attempts to enter or depart Singapore illegally and will not hesitate to prosecute offenders for such cases.
"We are working closely with the relevant authorities on this case."

ICA said it conducts checks on all arrivals and adopts a risk management approach for checks on departing conveyances, in order to balance smooth departure clearance and border security at the checkpoints.
ICA added: "Departing conveyances may also be directed for further checks based on risk profiling or any information received."
The police told ST on Tuesday that they arrested a 26-year-old Singaporean man on June 27 for his suspected involvement in cheating offences.


His passport was impounded and he was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.
His wife, 27, was also assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to the police on June 30. The couple subsequently became uncontactable, said the police.

Police said Singaporean man Pi Jiapeng (left) and Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa were assisting with investigations but subsequently became uncontactable. PHOTOS: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
The police arrested Mohamed last Wednesday for allegedly helping the couple leave Singapore on July 4.
He was charged last Friday with abetting another person to depart Singapore illegally.
The police said it is working closely with foreign law enforcement counterparts to trace the couple and the criminal proceeds.
"Warrants of arrest and Interpol red notices have been issued against the couple," added the police.
At least 180 reports have been lodged against the couple since June.
The victims claimed they had made advance payments for luxury watches or luxury bags to the couple, who failed to deliver them.

ST spoke to 10 victims, aged between 24 and 52, over the past week and most of them said they trusted the couple as their business was registered as a regulated dealer and had a certificate from Ministry of Law (MinLaw) to prove it.
A MinLaw spokesman had said the business, named Tradenation, was registered as a precious stones and precious metals dealer on April 2.
"Registered dealers are regulated by the Registrar of Regulated Dealers only for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism purposes," said the spokesman.
At the point of Tradenation's registration, there were no grounds to refuse it, said MinLaw.
But the ministry has now suspended its registration, which can also be terminated if it is found guilty of an offence.

 

[Confuseous]

The guy looks like the younger Pornsak, the Chinese show host.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

MOE added that it takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to its standards of conduct and discipline, which could include dismissal from service.

Secondary school discipline master admits taking more than 100 upskirt videos of teachers and students​

Photo illustration of a man taking upskirt photos. (Photo: Jeremy Long)

Lydia Lam​

@LydiaLamCNA
02 Sep 2022


SINGAPORE: For more than three years, the discipline master of a secondary school took more than 100 upskirt videos of his female colleagues and students.
He took 12 upskirt videos of at least seven female students using modus operandi such as inviting them into the discipline room.
On one occasion, he confiscated the phone of a student who had filmed upskirt videos of a teacher and used his own phone to record the videos for himself.
The 49-year-old man, who is married with three children, pleaded guilty on Friday (Sep 2) to three charges of insulting a woman's modesty. Another five charges will be taken into consideration for sentencing.
A gag order was imposed by the court barring the publication of his name, the victims' names and the school name.
The court heard that the man had worked at the school since 2008 and was the discipline master since 2015. He also taught Mandarin.
In response to queries from CNA, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the man had been suspended from duty since July 2018 and is no longer teaching in any school.
MOE added that it takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to its standards of conduct and discipline, which could include dismissal from service.
Between April 2015 and July 2018, he filmed 156 upskirt videos of at least 38 female colleagues, mostly teachers.
He would invite them to his work station for data entry purposes and would place his handphone under the victim's skirt while the victim was keying in data at his desk.
He invited female colleagues wearing skirts or dresses but not those wearing pants, and seldom invited male teachers to his work station for data entry.
The man also filmed 12 upskirt videos of at least seven female students between May 2015 and February 2018. He would take the student into the discipline room and film her while she was using the computer.
The court heard that the man would transfer the videos to an external hard disk via his office laptop. He did not share or publish the clips but "used them for his own sexual pleasure", the prosecutor said.
On one occasion, a male student was caught and punished by the school for filming two upskirt videos of a female teacher. On the pretext of retrieving evidence, the accused confiscated the student's phone and used his own phone to film the videos before transferring them to his collection.
His actions went on until July 2018, when a female teacher at the school lodged a police report, saying she suspected the accused had been taking upskirt videos of teachers including herself.
Police seized his hard disk and found 173 upskirt videos in the accused's possession. He titled each clip with the victim's names or initials or with descriptions.
Investigations also revealed that he had filmed an upskirt video of a female relative at a party his mother-in-law was hosting.

ACCUSED ABUSED POSITION: PROSECUTOR​

The prosecutor asked for between 12 and 18 months' jail, saying that the accused abused the trust of his female colleagues and his position as discipline master. The victims who were students were especially vulnerable, and the accused exploited their deference to his authority as well as the trust their parents placed in the school and its faculty, she said.
However, she accepted that the accused was suffering from major depressive disorder at the time, after losing his mother in 2015. His wife also underwent surgery for medical ailments in 2016, after which their frequency of sexual intimacy "drastically diminished".
"However, while these factors invite some sympathy, they do not excuse the accused's conduct," said the prosecutor.
Defence lawyer Laurence Goh asked the court to order a mandatory treatment order suitability report. He said his client was suffering from "double depression" at the time of the offences.
A doctor with the Institute of Mental Health had said his disorder contributed to his offences, said Mr Goh.
The prosecutor objected to the defence's "conclusion" that the accused would not be able to undergo psychiatric treatment if he is sentenced to jail, calling this "leaping to conclusions".
The prison is "fully able to continue monitoring and treating his conditions", and the psychiatric unit of the Changi Medical Complex is administered by IMH, she said.
The judge noted the accused's mental conditions at the time and that there is a contributory link to his offending behaviour. She granted the defence's request to call for a mandatory treatment order suitability report, but stressed that even if he is found suitable, the court may not necessarily impose such an order.
He will return to court for sentencing in November.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

The Ministry of Education (MOE) had earlier told ST: "MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service."

Charges withdrawn for teacher, husband accused of maid abuse​

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

Sep 8, 2022

SINGAPORE - After more than two years of living with multiple maid abuse charges looming over them, a primary school teacher and her husband can finally heave a sigh of relief as all charges against them were withdrawn following 12 days of trial.
Last week, Ms Nachammai Selva Nachiappan, 40, and Mr Arunachalam Muthiah, 43, were each given a discharge amounting to an acquittal.
This means, the Singaporean couple cannot be charged again with the same offences.
Even though the couple declined to be interviewed, they told The Straits Times through their lawyer, Mr Kalidass Murugaiyan, on Sept 2 that they were both glad and relieved with the outcome.
The lawyer, who has his own practice, added: "They wish to put this episode behind (them) and keenly look forward to moving on with their lives.
"(Ms Nachammai) is grateful for the support she has received. Her service was not interrupted. She is still a teacher at the same school."
Mr Kalidass also said that before the charges were withdrawn, the prosecution reviewed the matter following the maid's testimony in court.


The prosecutor then applied for the couple to be given the discharge and it was granted by District Judge Eddy Tham.
In a statement to ST on Wednesday, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said that as part of the prosecution process, the prosecution will continually assess new evidence which arises from investigators, the defence or witnesses.
Without revealing any details, the AGC spokesman said: "In this case, the prosecution decided to apply for a (discharge amounting to an acquittal) because it assessed, based on new evidence that emerged during the trial, that a withdrawal of the charges was warranted.

"This evidence was not made available to the police during investigations or in the lead up to the trial."
Ms Nachammai and Mr Arunachalam had been accused of abusing domestic helper Hla Hla Myaing between June 25 and Aug 2, 2018.
Both of them were charged in court in 2020.

Ms Nachammai, who had claimed trial to five charges, was accused of acts including hitting the Myanmar national's face with a hanger and throwing a hot ladle at her.
Mr Arunachalam, who had faced three charges, was accused of kicking the maid and punching her.
On the first day of their joint trial in May last year, Ms Hla Hla Myaing, then 37, had testified that she worked for the family who lived in a condominium unit near Sembawang Road.
It was her first job in Singapore and was already working for another household when she took the stand last year.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) had earlier told ST: "MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service."
Mr Kalidass said that Ms Nachammai's service was not interrupted.
For using an instrument to assault a maid, an offender can be jailed for up to 10½ years and fined or caned.
Male offenders over 50 years old and female offenders cannot be caned.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

"He (National Development Minister Desmond Lee) reiterated that HDB takes rule violations seriously and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant owners."

18 property agents disciplined in last five years for marketing HDB flats which breached MOP rules​

Some seemingly vacant and unrenovated BTO flats were reported to be up for sale on property portals in December. PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM PROPERTYGURU

Michelle Ng
Housing Correspondent

Jan 9, 2023

SINGAPORE - A total of 18 property agents were taken to task between 2017 and 2022 for helping their clients to market Housing Board flats which breached the HDB’s mandatory five-year minimum occupation period (MOP) rule.
Of these, six agents had their registration suspended for between seven and 48 weeks and were fined between $2,000 and $5,000 by the CEA’s disciplinary committee, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee in Parliament on Monday.
Another two agents received letters of censure - which are issued for minor disciplinary breaches - with one of them fined $1,000. The remaining 10 agents were issued warning letters for their disciplinary breaches.
These property agents were found to have breached the code set by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) that requires them to ensure that no law, including those that apply to HDB properties, has been infringed as part of their work.
CEA investigated 51 cases involving 69 property agents in the last five years, with 19 cases still under investigation, said Mr Lee in response to questions filed by nine MPs on the issue of Build-To-Order (BTO) flat owners flouting MOP rules.
This comes after some seemingly vacant and unrenovated BTO flats were reported to be up for sale on property portals in December. Agents who listed the units described them as a “blank canvas” and “never stayed in before, brand new”.
Property agents who have reasonable cause to suspect that MOP rules have been infringed should inform their clients of the potential consequences and stop marketing the property, said Mr Lee.

The Straits Times has asked the Ministry of National Development if property agents are required to report such suspected breaches to the CEA or HDB.
HDB flat owners have to live in their units for five years before they can put it up for sale on the open market - a longstanding policy that is meant to reinforce public housing as a home to live in.
Mr Lee said owners who cannot fulfil their MOP due to changes in their circumstances must return their flat to HDB.

Between 2017 and 2022, a total of 258 BTO flats and 168 HDB resale flats were returned to HDB, mainly due to changes in owners’ circumstances within the MOP which made them ineligible to own an HDB flat, he added.
These circumstances include divorce or separation, death of the owner and medical reasons, he said.
Mr Lee said owners who are genuinely unable to stay in their flat during the MOP, like those who posted overseas for work, should write to HDB to seek a waiver. These appeals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
He added that HDB detects potential infringement of HDB rules through a range of methods, including regular inspections, feedback from the public and property agents.
Data analytics and other tools are also used to detect potential infringement, he said, declining to go into details as some involve confidential investigative methods.

Since 2017, HDB has conducted random checks on some 35,000 homes as part of its regular inspection routine, he said.
HDB also received around 4,700 pieces of feedback on potential infringements relating to MOP rules from the public and agents, said Mr Lee. These include cases of flats being listed for resale in bare or “brand new” condition.
He said HDB tries to strike a balance in detecting and investigating breaches. “On the one hand, we want to ensure that HDB rules are complied with by detecting and deterring errant owners who infringe the rules; on the other hand, we do not want to overly impinge upon the privacy of the 1.1 million HDB homeowners, the vast majority of whom abide by the rules.”
Between 2017 and November 2022, 53 errant flat owners who did not live in their HDB flats during the MOP were taken to task. Of these, 21 had their flats compulsorily acquired by HDB.

Depending on the severity of the breach, HDB may issue a written warning, impose a fine of up to $50,000, or compulsorily acquire the flat.
Owners whose flats are compulsorily acquired by HDB will also be debarred from buying a subsidised flat, taking over such a flat by changing flat ownership or renting a public rental flat from HDB for five years.
Mr Lee acknowledged that the issue of MOP breaches has caused some unhappiness among Singaporeans.
“We also recognise the concerns by members of the public, sometimes anger, when they see such actions being taken by people around them when they, and many other HDB owners, comply with the rules and are concerned about whether the playing field is level,” he said.
He reiterated that HDB takes rule violations seriously and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant owners.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Mr David Chew, director of the CAD, said the police have zero tolerance for such offences.
“We will not hesitate to take strong action against those involved in insider trading, even where the illicit activities concern securities listed on overseas exchanges,” he said.

Ex-senior V-P of Nippon Paint subsidiary, his sister and husband face insider trading charges​

On Thursday, all three were charged in court with insider trading offences under the Securities and Futures Act. PHOTO: ST FILE
Aqil Hamzah

Jan 19, 2023

SINGAPORE – Before the announcement of an acquisition by Nippon Paint Holdings, a senior-level executive in its subsidiary here allegedly told his sister about it, who then allegedly conspired with her husband to purchase shares in the firm listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
On Thursday, all three were charged in court with insider trading offences under the Securities and Futures Act (SFA).
In a statement, the police said two of the three individuals had allegedly conspired to purchase shares of DuluxGroup – Australia’s biggest paint maker – ahead of its announcement of a proposed acquisition by Nippon Paint Holdings on April 17, 2019.
Shae Toh Hock, 62, who was the senior vice-president of corporate planning and development at a Nippon Paint Holdings subsidiary at the time, had allegedly communicated non-public and material information regarding the proposed acquisition to his sister, Shae Hung Yee, 59, some time between April 7 and April 12 in 2019.
She then allegedly conspired to purchase shares of DuluxGroup with her husband, Siew Boon Liong, 62, while possessing insider information.
When Japan’s Nippon Paint Holdings announced its proposed acquisition of DuluxGroup for A$3.8 billion (S$3.5 billion), the stock price of DuluxGroup was reported by Reuters to have gone up 28 per cent to the offer price, a record high.
After a joint investigation by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the elder Shae was on Thursday charged with one count of communicating insider information concerning the proposed acquisition under Section 219(3)(a) of the SFA.

His sister and her husband were both charged with one count each for insider trading under Section 219(2)(a) of the Act, read with Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetment.
Mr David Chew, director of the CAD, said the police have zero tolerance for such offences.
“We will not hesitate to take strong action against those involved in insider trading, even where the illicit activities concern securities listed on overseas exchanges,” he said, adding that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission had assisted in investigations.
If convicted, the trio can each be jailed for up to seven years, fined up to $250,000, or both.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

A spokesman for Surbana Jurong said: “We take a very serious view of the matter and have placed Mr Heng on suspension.”

Surbana Jurong architect suspended after allegedly posting women’s intimate photos online​

Heng Boon Keng allegedly posted the intimate photos of the two women in 2021. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

Jan 20, 2023

SINGAPORE - A senior principal architect with infrastructure consultancy Surbana Jurong is facing charges after he allegedly distributed two women’s intimate images online without their consent.
On 10 occasions between Aug 28 and Sept 21, 2021, Heng Boon Keng, 53, allegedly posted photographs of the private parts and breasts of one of the women on the SammyBoy forum - a predominantly sex-themed website.
He is accused of posting photographs of the second woman’s breasts on the same site on two occasions between Sept 16 and 17, 2021.
The women cannot be named due to a gag order to protect their identities.
Court documents did not disclose how Heng had obtained their pictures, and how his alleged offences came to light.
The documents also did not state how the women were linked to him.
In a statement to The Straits Times on Friday, a spokesman for Surbana Jurong said: “We take a very serious view of the matter and have placed Mr Heng on suspension.”

Heng’s pre-trial conference will take place on Feb 13.
For each count of unlawfully distributing a woman’s intimate images, an offender can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.

 

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Yup, it is the Singapore poodles again, using the same template for media releases.

Stressing that they take a serious view of intellectual property rights infringement, the police said that distributing and selling counterfeit goods were serious offences.
“The police will not hesitate to take tough action against perpetrators who profit at the expense of legitimate businesses and consumers.”

Two arrested for allegedly selling counterfeit goods worth more than $260,000​

The operation, which took place in Corporation Drive on Wednesday, saw more than 7,300 items seized. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Aqil Hamzah

May 11, 2023

SINGAPORE – A 37-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were arrested for their suspected involvement in selling counterfeit goods online that were estimated to be worth more than $260,000.
The police said in a statement on Thursday that the arrests were made following an operation by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department.
The operation, which took place in Corporation Drive on Wednesday, saw more than 7,300 items seized.
These included wireless earpieces, bags, apparel, footwear, fragrances and cosmetic products, which the police said infringed trademarks.
Investigations are ongoing.
Stressing that they take a serious view of intellectual property rights infringement, the police said that distributing and selling counterfeit goods were serious offences.
“The police will not hesitate to take tough action against perpetrators who profit at the expense of legitimate businesses and consumers.”

Those found possessing goods with falsely applied trademarks for the purpose of trade can be fined up to $100,000, jailed up to five years, or both.

The counterfeit items that were found in Corporation Drive on Wednesday. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

 

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“SFA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, and to engage only registered food handlers,” it said.
“SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.”

Three Central Mall eateries suspended for two weeks: SFA​

SFA said the licence of Central Mall Coffeehouse (right, top), Oyster (right, bottom) and Sushi is suspended from May 25 till June 7. PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Wallace Woon

May 26, 2023

SINGAPORE – Three eateries at the Central Mall in Clarke Quay have been suspended for two weeks over food hygiene issues.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on its website that the licence of Central Mall Coffeehouse and Oyster Co the Food Shop is suspended from Thursday till June 7.
In the notice, the two eateries are listed as occupying five units – #01-01, #01-03, #01-04, #01-06, #01-07 – in the mall.
Checks on SFA’s website show that three eateries – Central Perk Cafe, Oyster and Sushi – are run by licensee Skydance at these addresses. SFA confirmed that Sushi would also be suspended.
In the notice, SFA said that the licensee had accumulated 12 demerit points within the last 12 months, from two instances where Skydance had failed to keep “the licensed premises free of infestation”.
SFA did not elaborate on when or which of the three outlets had committed the offences, which carry six demerit points each.
On top of the suspension, the licensee was fined a total of $800.

Besides the fine and suspension, all food handlers in the three eateries will also be required to re-attend and pass the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Food Safety Course Level 1 before they are allowed to resume work. Any food hygiene officers working at the affected eateries will be required to re-attend and pass the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 3.
“SFA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, and to engage only registered food handlers,” it said.
“SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.”
Members of the public who observe poor food safety practices in food establishments should not patronise these outlets and can provide feedback via the SFA’s online feedback form (https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback) or call the SFA Contact Centre on 6805-2871.

 

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Superintendent Tong Weijie, deputy commander of Woodlands Checkpoint, said: “The authorities will not hesitate to take firm action against those who do not observe traffic rules.”

140 motorists caught over 2 weeks for traffic offences near Woodlands Checkpoint​

ICA urged motorists to follow traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and comply with checkpoint officers’ instructions. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Yong Li Xuan

July 21, 2023

SINGAPORE – A total of 140 motorists were caught for various traffic offences near the Woodlands Checkpoint between July 1 and 15.
Offences include crossing the double white lines on the viaduct leading into Woodlands Checkpoint, beating the red light in Woodlands Crossing and making unauthorised turns during restricted hours in Woodlands Centre Road, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday.
Superintendent Tong Weijie, deputy commander of Woodlands Checkpoint, said: “Such inconsiderate behaviour can contribute to severe traffic congestion and compromise the safety of other road users and checkpoint officers.
“The authorities will not hesitate to take firm action against those who do not observe traffic rules.”
ICA said the cases have been referred to the Traffic Police for further investigation.
Foreign drivers who did not follow its officers’ instructions were banned from re-entering Singapore, ICA added.
In June, a Malaysian driver was banned from entering Singapore after being caught on video attempting to cut the queue on the Causeway towards Malaysia by using the dedicated bus and lorry lane.

ICA urged motorists to follow traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and comply with checkpoint officers’ instructions.
Those who are caught flouting traffic rules may be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to three months, or both. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $2,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
The Causeway, which the Woodlands Checkpoint leads to, is one of the world’s busiest border crossings. During the June school holidays, traveller volume peaked on June 16, with about 430,000 crossings, exceeding pre-Covid-19 levels.
Several changes have been made in recent months to alleviate congestion at the checkpoint.
For one, motorists will not be able to turn right into Woodlands Checkpoint from Woodlands Centre Road from July 17, except for buses and authorised vehicles.
Since April, the two lanes on the viaduct leading into Woodlands Checkpoint have been demarcated with continuous double white lines between them.

 

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Eh, why didn't the CPIB "will not hesitate" to arrest S Iswaran and make an announcement of his arrest?

PM Lee, DPM Wong did not disclose Iswaran’s arrest as it is CPIB’s call to make: PMO​

Transport Minister S. Iswaran leaving the CPIB at around 6.50pm on July 19. The online article had alleged that PM Lee Hsien Loong and DPM Lawrence Wong did not disclose the fact of Mr Iswaran’s arrest because it was politically embarrassing. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Wong Shiying

JUL 20, 2023

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong did not disclose Transport Minister S. Iswaran’s arrest when they spoke about the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s (CPIB) probe on July 12 as revealing such information is CPIB’s decision to make.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Thursday that it is usually the CPIB that releases information on people who have been arrested in connection with its investigations, not ministers.
The PMO revealed this in its statement that online blog Political Sophistry has been asked to put up a correction notice, under the law against fake news, on its article about the CPIB’s investigation into Mr Iswaran.
The article titled “Upfront and transparent? A timeline of the CPIB investigation into Transport Minister Iswaran” falsely conveyed two points, said the PMO.
First, that on July 12, PM Lee and DPM Wong did not want to disclose the fact about Mr Iswaran’s arrest because it was politically embarrassing.
Second, that during his media interview on July 12, DPM Wong had deliberately withheld information that Mr Iswaran and tycoon Ong Beng Seng had been arrested in connection with the case because he wanted to conceal the truth.
The PMO said that both PM Lee’s statement and DPM Wong’s media interview kept to what the CPIB had announced earlier that day.

The CPIB said in a statement on July 12 that Mr Iswaran was assisting with an investigation it had uncovered. It did not give details on the nature of the probe.
The anti-graft agency said on July 14, in response to media queries, that Mr Iswaran and Mr Ong had been arrested on July 11 and were subsequently released on bail.
The PMO said PM Lee and DPM Wong did not want to deviate from what the CPIB had announced in its statement as it was related to operational matters.

“Whether to arrest a person under investigation is an operational judgment by the CPIB. In addition, whether and when to make public that a person has been arrested in connection with their investigations is a decision for the CPIB.”
In view of that, PM Lee’s statement on July 12 and DPM Wong at his media interview on the same day were consistent with the CPIB’s July 12 press release, said the PMO.
“It is therefore untrue that PM Lee or DPM Wong did not want to disclose the fact of minister Iswaran’s arrest because it was politically embarrassing, or that DPM had deliberately withheld information on the arrests because he wanted to conceal the truth,” it added.
“It is also not a case of PM Lee and DPM Wong abdicating their responsibility to disclose such information.”
The PMO said ministers have to let the CPIB independently decide on the release of operational information. “CPIB must be afforded the necessary time and space it needs to conduct a proper, thorough and independent investigation,” it added.
Minister in the PMO Indranee Rajah instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) office to issue a correction direction to Political Sophistry.
As required, the blog has posted a correction notice at the top of the article and at the top of the main page of its website. This is so that readers can read both versions and draw their own conclusions, the PMO said.
Political Sophistry said on its website on Thursday that it will conduct a thorough review of “all other potentially controversial articles”.

 

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“The police take security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against those who intentionally cause public alarm,” the spokesman added.

30-year-old man arrested after allegedly making bomb threat on Scoot flight bound for Perth​

One of two RSAF fighter jets escorting Scoot flight TR16 back to Changi Airport on Thursday. PHOTO: MILITARY AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHY SINGAPORE/FACEBOOK

Aqil Hamzah

Oct 13, 2023

SINGAPORE – A 30-year-old Australian man was arrested on Thursday after allegedly making a bomb threat on a Perth-bound Scoot flight.
In response to queries, a police spokesman said the police were informed of an alleged bomb threat on the flight at about 4.55pm, and arrested the male passenger for criminal intimidation after they had finished their security checks.
Investigations are ongoing.
“The police take security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against those who intentionally cause public alarm,” the spokesman added.
In response to queries, a spokesman for budget carrier Scoot said the plane left Changi Airport at 4.11pm, and a decision was made to turn back about one hour into the flight “due to a bomb threat”. It landed at Changi Airport at 6.27pm.
The spokesman said: “The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was activated to escort the aircraft back to Changi Airport. Emergency services were also activated.
“TR16 landed safely in Singapore at 6.27pm where security checks were carried out. Scoot is assisting the authorities with their investigations. As this is a security matter, we regret that we are unable to provide further details.

“Scoot sincerely apologises for the disruption and inconvenience caused. The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to provide assistance to our customers.”
RSAF said in a Facebook post that it activated two F-15SG fighter jets to escort the Scoot aircraft.

Flight TR16 has 363 passengers and nine cabin crew members, as well as two pilots on board.


Its flight path on flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying in circles off the east coast of Malaysia before flying towards Changi Airport.
The flight, which had left from Terminal 1, was scheduled to arrive in Perth at 8.35pm.

The Perth-bound flight was seen flying in circles before making its way back to Singapore. SCREENGRAB: FLIGHTRADAR24
However, an account called SquawkAlert on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, said it had made a 7700 squawk, referring to when a flight experiences an emergency.
At 7.40pm, passengers were still on board the plane.
A 30-year-old systems analyst, who did not want to be named, told The Straits Times that passengers were informed at about 5.05pm that the aircraft was experiencing “minor issues”.

Photos taken by a passenger showing RSAF fighter jets escorting the Scoot flight. PHOTOS: ST READER
When the fighter jets arrived to escort the flight, he added that people were “passing phones to those seated by the windows to take photos”, adding that he did not sense much alarm among those on board.
He did not witness any passengers behaving suspiciously but noted that after the plane landed, the police came on board to escort two individuals out.
The pilot then announced the bomb threat, although he said he believed it to be most likely a hoax, with the security checks being part of the regulations.
At about 10pm, the passenger said that refreshments were provided after they disembarked.
It was also announced that all affected passengers will get hot meals during their upcoming flight to Perth, which was scheduled to happen later at night.


The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said a runway was closed at Changi Airport at 6.26pm to facilitate ground operations, and was reopened at 7.25pm.
Eight arrival and six departure flights were delayed, including one carrying National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who was flying back from Kuala Lumpur.
He apologised to his residents in a Facebook post for being late for his Meet-the-People Session due to the delay.
He told ST that his flight had taken off later than scheduled and was then put in a holding pattern, with the delay about two hours in total.


On Sept 28, 2022, Singapore Airlines Flight SQ33 had to be escorted by two RSAF fighter jets before it landed at Changi Airport.
A 37-year-old American man was arrested after he allegedly made a bomb threat on board the flight from San Francisco. The man, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia after his arrest, was subsequently given a stern warning for the bomb threat and four weeks’ jail for slapping an air steward.

 

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Prof Tan: "... the hospital will not hesitate to take appropriate actions..."

The police said they take a “stern view of abusive behaviour...."

Woman questioned by police in viral video over SGH fracas to be charged in court​

SGH said the woman turned hostile towards hospital employees after she refused to put on a face mask. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Aqil Hamzah

Oct 13, 2023

SINGAPORE – A 29-year-old woman will be charged in court on Friday with multiple offences that include the use of abusive language on a public servant.
She had garnered public attention after she claimed that she was refused treatment at a hospital here because she is not a Singapore citizen, although this was refuted by the hospital on Thursday.
The incident went viral on social media after a video was posted on Chinese social media platform Douyin on Tuesday, which showed the police interviewing her. Law enforcement officers were called in following complaints that she had been verbally abusive to hospital staff.
The police said they received a call for assistance at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Tuesday at about 2.35am. A woman seeking treatment for her injured foot was allegedly shouting and had verbally abused a nurse.
She alleged in the video that she had waited for three hours at the hospital’s emergency department without being attended to by a doctor after being hit by a car, and claimed that a nurse told her she would not receive treatment because she was not a Singaporean.
However, Associate Professor Kenneth Tan, head and senior consultant for the department of emergency medicine at SGH, told The Straits Times that she was discharged from the emergency department about two hours following her arrival “after being thoroughly reviewed by our clinical team”.
“We would like to reiterate that everyone who presents at our emergency department will receive the care required,” he added.


According to Prof Tan, the woman had turned hostile towards hospital employees after she refused to put on a face mask.
He said: “During the triage process at the entry to our emergency department, the patient was handed a mask after a staff member noticed that she was not wearing one.
“She refused to put it on and became abusive when our staff reminded her about the ministry’s guidelines on mask-wearing in hospitals.”

Mask-wearing, which was mandatory during the Covid-19 pandemic, was stood down in most settings earlier this year, though the Ministry of Health has retained this requirement in certain settings, such as in private and public hospitals.
“Masking is required in all clinical areas in the hospital to protect our patients and our colleagues. This is particularly important in the emergency department, where there are many ill and vulnerable patients,” Prof Tan said.
He said that the hospital has a protocol for employees who deal with abusive or aggressive patients or family members.
Nearby colleagues or supervisors would first step in to help the affected employee, and the hospital’s security and the police may be called if the abusive person could not be calmed or reasoned with, or if the safety of the hospital’s employees are at risk.
Prof Tan added that the hospital has regular courses to teach its employees how to de-escalate and manage such situations.
However, despite efforts by both medical and security staff, the woman continued to behave aggressively on Tuesday, resulting in the police being called in, he added. “Her behaviour was disruptive to the operations as the hospital had to deploy more manpower to attend to the case at the expense of other emergency patients who were waiting to be seen,” he said.
The woman had put up two videos on Douyin, with more than 11 minutes of footage in total.

Screengrabs of the videos posted on Douyin, which showed the police (left) questioning the woman who was alleged to have verbally abused staff at SGH. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM DOUYIN
Both videos were in Mandarin, and she is seen in one trying to grab a plainclothes police officer’s lanyard as she demanded that the officer identify herself. This was despite the lanyard clearly stating the word “police”, as well as a uniformed officer standing nearby.
The police said two officers had introduced themselves as investigation officers in the presence of uniformed officers before they interviewed the woman. They added that the woman was uncooperative and had allegedly used profanities against one of the police officers there.
She then recorded her interview with the investigation officer and allegedly uploaded the videos. The recordings, shared on various social media platforms, have collectively garnered more than a million views.
The police said the woman had an earlier run-in with the law on Oct 3, when they were called by the security team of a Marina Boulevard condominium.
The woman was said to be intoxicated and allegedly pushed one of the security officers on his shoulder and pulled his tie. She also allegedly verbally abused the security officer, the police added.
The police also said that she may have contravened the conditions of her work permit, and have referred the matter to the Ministry of Manpower.
Prof Tan stressed that SGH does not tolerate any form of abuse or harassment towards its employees, and added: “We provide all patients with compassionate and personal care, though the hospital will not hesitate to take appropriate actions against abusive behaviour as our colleagues deserve a safe and respectful working environment.”
The police said they take a “stern view of abusive behaviour against public servants and public service workers who are carrying out their public duties, and firm actions will be taken to deal with such offenders in accordance with the law”.

 

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“GRA takes a serious view of such lapses and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against errant casino operators."

Resorts World Sentosa fined $2.25m for failing to check on deposits to patrons’ accounts​

The Gambling Regulatory Authority found that RWS had failed to perform due diligence checks for certain transactions between Dec 2016 and Dec 2019. PHOTO: ST FILE

Fatimah Mujibah

Dec 8, 2023

SINGAPORE - The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has fined Resorts World Sentosa a total of $2.25 million for failing to perform due diligence checks on deposits into patrons’ accounts.
These checks are required under the Casino Control Act and the Casino Control (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Regulations, the GRA said on Dec 8.
The authority has also cancelled the special employee licence of one of the RWS’ employees involved. The licence is issued by GRA to those who work in casino-related functions or make decisions on casino operations.
In 2020, GRA told casino operators RWS and Marina Bay Sands to review the activities of certain patrons. RWS then discovered some transactions to be non-compliant and reported them to GRA.
After investigations, the authority found that RWS had failed to perform due diligence checks for certain transactions between December 2016 and December 2019, where its employees collected $5,000 or more in cash from third parties to deposit into the accounts of its patrons, said GRA.
Casino operators are required to perform these checks when they receive a cash deposit of $5,000 or more into a patron’s deposit account.
“When accepting these cash deposits, RWS had failed to establish the identity of the third-party depositors. RWS did not record the requisite identifying information, nor did it verify these identities using reliable and independent sources as required under the regulations,” GRA added.

Aside from cancelling one special employee licence, the GRA is also investigating other employees with the same licence who were involved.
“GRA takes a serious view of such lapses and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against errant casino operators. GRA will continue to exercise tight supervision over the operators’ compliance with our regulatory requirements,” the authority said.
When the lapses were detected, GRA noted that RWS engaged an independent party to review its standard operating procedures. It has also looked at its corporate culture, with a view to strengthening its internal controls and corporate governance.

 

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Acra warned that it will not hesitate to take action over directors’ failure to act honestly and use due diligence in the discharge of their duties, for which they could be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to 12 months.

Ex-director of Allied Technologies gets six months’ jail term for breach of duties​

Acra warned that it will not hesitate to take action over directors’ failure to act honestly and use due diligence in the discharge of their duties. PHOTO: ST FILE
Elysia Tan

Jan 8, 2023

SINGAPORE - Former Allied Technologies executive director Roger Poh has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for failing to act honestly in the discharge of his director duties, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) said on Jan 8.
This was in relation to the company’s acquisition of 51 per cent of the shares of Software as a Service solutions provider Activpass Holdings.
In a meeting prior to the acquisition with Activpass’ existing shareholders Peter Seow and his wife Amy Leow, as well as a director of Kingsblade, Zheng Jiabin, Poh became aware that Seow and Leow were prepared to sell 100 per cent of the shares in Activpass to Allied Tech for $25 million.
However, Poh proposed to Allied Tech’s board to purchase 51 per cent of the shares in Activpass for $25 million, omitting any mention of his knowledge about the price Seow and Leow were willing to accept. Allied Technologies went on to acquire the 51 per cent stake for $25.2 million.
“Roger Poh was prepared to let Allied Technologies overpay substantially for its acquisition of 51 per cent of the shares in Activpass, and he knew that at least $10 million of the $25.2 million purchase price would be paid to Kingsblade through a series of round-tripping arrangements,” said Acra.
The ex-director admitted that this was due to his desire to obtain future personal benefits from Zheng, in the form of appointments as director of other listed companies, and their accompanying director fees, the regulatory authority added.
Acra warned that it will not hesitate to take action over directors’ failure to act honestly and use due diligence in the discharge of their duties, for which they could be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to 12 months.

Allied Technologies has been delisted from the Catalist board. THE BUSINESS TIMES