Chitchat Sinkie To Be Stripped Of Sinkieship! Guess Race And Offence!

[JohnTan]

SINGAPORE - Gaye Alassane, the former S-League footballer who is set to be stripped of his Singapore citizenship by the Ministry of Home Affairs as he was part of a global match-fixing syndicate, says he is shocked by the move.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Thursday (Dec 7), Alassane, who was served with a Notice of Proposed Deprivation of Citizenship under Article 133(1) of the Constitution in the morning, said: "I was shocked when I heard the news this morning, and of course I feel terrible about it.

"I'm lost, I don't know where my life is, I really don't know what to do now."

The 43-year-old, who was detained without trial in 2013 under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, added: "I spent two years and three months in prison, and after I got out, I had to go and report to them once every month.

"I've never been in prison before that, and it was difficult."

Alassane first arrived in Singapore in 1993 from Malian club Batavia as a 19-year-old to play for Tiong Bahru FC in the now-defunct Singapore Premier League.


The defender later played for lower-tiered clubs Wellington FC and Tampines Rovers before a solitary season in the professional S-League with Gombak United in 2000.

The Mali-born footballer obtained his citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme in 2003 through marriage with a Singaporean. But it is believed that he is no longer married to the Singaporean.

In its statement, MHA said that "during his time as a Singapore citizen, this individual became an active and trusted member of an international match-fixing syndicate which was created in and took root in Singapore. The individual and his syndicate members used Singapore as a hub to conduct major global match-fixing activities".

It added that he was dealt with under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act "for having engaged in criminal activities that prejudiced the public safety, peace and good order of Singapore".

Alassane admitted to ST that he had done "those things" but insisted that he wanted to turn over a new leaf.

"I sat in prison, and all I could think about was my two children and what I've put them through; what I'm going through now and how I got here," he explained.

"I decided that I wanted to be a good man - I wanted to change.

"Yes, I did those things, but everybody make mistakes, no?

"I thought I paid for mine already. I don't know what to say now."

Alassane founded the A-Stars Soccer Academy in 2011. On its Facebook page, it says the academy serves "as a platform for the growth, development and specialization of the skills and talent of children and young adults in the world's greatest game - Football".

It added that he "has decided it was time to give back to the community and share his passion, knowledge and his wealth of experience to the youth of today through the A-Stars Soccer Academy program".

"I built my career, and I made my life in Singapore," he noted. "I've stopped everything to do with this kind of things (match-fixing), I did everything they asked me to do, even report to them once every month.

"But now I hear that they want to do this, I'm really lost."

Local football official R. Vengadasalam, who previously managed Wellington FC in the Semi-Pro League (the predecessor of the S-League), signed Alassane in 1995.

Venga told ST: "He was one of the first few Africans to play in Singapore. Back then, he was a very young man and a very fun-loving guy. He was very jovial and got along well with his team-mates."

Another local football official, who had previously managed Alassane, added: "He was a very average player. I never suspected that he was involved in match-fixing activities."

MHA added that Alassane may apply for his case to be referred to a Citizenship Committee of Inquiry (CCOI) within 21 days of being notified about the Notice of Proposed Deprivation. The CCOI will then hold an inquiry and submit a report to the Minister for Home Affairs, who will then decide whether to proceed to deprive Alassane of his Singapore citizenship.

http://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...sanes-journeyman-football-career-in-singapore

 

[sweetiepie]

my uncle say he should say to mha or the judge how to offer legal soccer betting when there is no match fixing.

 

[Leongsam]

Are citizens that fix elections stripped of their citizenship?

 

[Victory2016]

All ex-foreigners who committed crimes should be stripped of their Singapore citizenship.
Should have done this long time ago.....

 

[red amoeba]

All FTs who bully singapore and should meet the same fate.

 

[syed putra]

Are citizens that fix elections stripped of their citizenship?

As long as its not football,its ok to "fix".

 

[Debonerman]

Are citizens that fix elections stripped of their citizenship?

Under the Singapore 'leegal" system, NO!

 

[yellowarse]

Should this fixer have his citizenship stripped?

 

[congo9]

SINGAPORE — The authorities intend to strip former S-League player Gaye Alassane of his Singapore citizenship for being "an active and trusted member" of an international match-fixing syndicate.

The 43-year-old Mali-born player, who became a Singaporean in 2003, was served with a notice on proposed deprivation of citizenship on Thursday (Dec 7). Alassane was detained in 2013 and has been placed on a police supervision order.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which did not name the individual involved, warned in a statement that naturalised citizens should not act against Singapore's interests.

It added: "Individuals who have been granted Singapore citizenship should cherish it and not act contrary to national interests. Those who undertake activities that prejudice our security or public safety, peace and good order deserve to have their citizenship status deprived."

Alassane can appeal by applying for his case to be heard by a Citizenship Committee of Inquiry within 21 days of receiving the notice. The committee will hold an inquiry and submit a report to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who will have the final say on whether the former football player is deprived of his Singapore citizenship.

Alassane married a clerk at the Football Association of Singapore in 2003, and obtained his Singapore citizenship by registration through the Family Ties Scheme.

There was no information to suggest at that point that he was involved in criminal activities. But he eventually became part of an international match-fixing syndicate which was created in Singapore.

In 2013, the police arrested 14 Singaporeans in connection with the syndicate, including four who were placed under detention orders.

"The individual and his syndicate members used Singapore as a hub to conduct major global match-fixing activities," said the MHA.

Alassane allegedly conspired with his syndicate members to fix football matches in several countries by bribing corrupt officials and players. He also cultivated several foreign nationals based in Singapore to lure them into taking part in his syndicate’s activities. The former player travelled frequently to move the bribe monies in and out of Singapore.

"The individual's serious criminal conduct not only undermined the integrity of Singapore's financial system, but also law and order. Witnesses were afraid of testifying against the individual and his syndicate members in open court for fear of reprisal," said the ministry.

It added that the decision to serve him a notice of proposed deprivation of citizenship was made after considering the severity of his criminal actions and the detrimental impact the match-fixing activities had on public order.

Singapore's Constitution allows the Government to deprive any Singaporean, by registration or naturalisation, of their citizenship.

The MHA said it had previously stripped some Singaporeans of their citizenship for involvement in "criminal acts prejudicial to the interests of Singapore". It did not give further details.

Alassane will become stateless if he loses his Singapore citizenship. This means he can only stay in Singapore with a special pass from the the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and will lose all privileges associated with a Singapore citizen.

ABOUT THE CASE

In 2013, the police arrested 14 Singaporeans in connection to a match-fixing syndicate, and five – including Gaye Alassane and its alleged mastermind Dan Tan Seet Eng – were placed under Detention Orders.

Tan was freed from prison by the Court of Appeal in November 2015 after it ruled that his detention was unlawful. He was re-arrested days later and has been detained ever since under a fresh Detention Order.

Described in media reports as an “average Joe”, the 53-year-old Singaporean was previously singled out by Interpol as the leader of the world’s most notorious match-fixing syndicate.

He is alleged to have masterminded the fixing of over 150 matches in Italy, Hungary, Finland, and Nigeria. In May 2013, he was charged in absentia by a Hungarian court for his alleged role in fixing matches in the country.

Tan’s former associate, Wilson Raj Perumal, was arrested in Finland in 2011 and served half of a two-year sentence before he was extradited to Hungary to assist with authorities in their investigations. Perumal, who is Singaporean, had fingered Tan as the ringleader of a global match-fixing network based in Singapore.

Perumal has been based in Budapest since 2012 under a witness protection programme.

In his detention order, Alassane's criminal involvement included acting as a courier or agent to help fix matches in Egypt, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago between 2010 and 2011.

The Mali-born former footballer was released from detention in Jan 2016 after he stated he would plead guilty to all the allegations against him, and that he is willing to testify in any criminal trial against Tan.

While the arrests in 2013 were lauded by experts as a significant development in the fight against corruption in the sport, Mr Chris Eaton, Fifa’s former head of security and now an independent sports integrity adviser, warned that more needed to be done to combat match-fixing in the region.

“As a syndicate it has been shut down. But key individuals within it have scattered and some, including Perumal, still operate,” said Mr Eaton in an interview on Thursday (Dec 7).

“The situation on match fixing has substantially improved in Singapore. The action of prosecutors particularly has stemmed the previously growing leadership of Singaporean nationals in the field of match fixing.”

However, he warned that match-fixing operators have adjusted their modus operandi since, as he added: “Match-fixing has become more selective, less opportunistic and better organised over the past five years. It tries to fly under the radar, with smaller and less exposed matches to publicity and scrutiny.

“Betting fraud is the source of the money for match fixing, and South-east Asia remains the biggest sport betting region by far with most of this sport betting being either run by illegal operators or under-regulated and poorly monitored operators.”

 

[congo9]

if they can just strip off the citizenship just without any proof of wrong doing. Then i think PAP of letting more foreigners taking up citizenship is well planned.

The newly minted citizen will not dare vote against PAP. Singapore is really cooked.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

What happens to a stateless person in Sg?

 

[congo9]

He can be tortured, no one can come to his rescue cos he has no more state. He has renounced his previous citizenship. No diplomatic would come to his rescue.

 

[Rogue Trader]

What happens to a stateless person in Sg?

I was wondering the same. surely he will not be stateless.

 

[bobby]

Based on the before and after jail term for Dan Tan...Gaye better off back to Mali.

 

[halsey02]

Should this fixer have his citizenship stripped?

This FIXER, Fix you, not him!

 

[scroobal]

PP withdrawn, NRIC changed to stateless and for travel stateless Doc that looks like PP given. He should be able to get back his Mali citizenship. Most ethnic homogenous countries will return citizenship. If he gets his Mali citizen back, all our docs will taken back and he will be deported.

Making citizens stateless was vindictive habit of old man in the past and he would only dare do it to Indians, not Malays, Chinese or Eurasians. Though there are number of stateless Malays, Chinese and Eurasians due to parents failing to do paperwork at time of birth or the parents themselves were stateless.

What happens to a stateless person in Sg?

 

[bobby]

true indian giver.......