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SINGAPORE — After unsuccessful attempts at bidding for projects from Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), a company director decided to bribe his way to get some business.
On Thursday (April 13), Ng Thiam Huat, 57, pleaded guilty to two charges of corruption after paying S$72,000 in bribes to a former senior project manager at WRS, which is now known as Mandai Wildlife Group.
District Judge Tan Jen Tse sentenced him to 10 months’ jail.
The senior project manager, Goh Meng Kwee, is no longer employed at WRS. Mandai Wildlife Group manages a few parks including the Singapore Zoo.
At the time of Ng’s offence, Goh was considered a “subject matter expert” on vendors and contractors, and had a significant role in recommending which vendors should be engaged for jobs and projects carried out by WRS.
Ng bribed Goh so that WRS would employ the services of cleaning and construction firm United Channel Construction & Facility Services (UCC), where he served as director.
WHAT HAPPENED
Sometime in March 2017, Ng was introduced to Goh, and Goh left an impression as someone with great influence within WRS.
At the time, UCC had been unsuccessful in bidding for contracts with WRS.
The two met again sometime around June 2017 near a night club along Joo Chiat Road.
The court heard that it was at this meeting that Goh offered to help UCC secure construction jobs with the main contractors of WRS in exchange for S$50,000 in fees for licensed electrical work, or LEW.
Ng was unsure what the term “LEW fees” meant but understood that Goh would help him secure jobs if he made the payment.
He considered Goh’s request over the next few weeks and eventually decided to accept the offer to boost his company’s sales and establish a name for the company.
The prosecution said Goh sent an invoice to UCC for the purported licensed electrical work fees at a sum of S$50,000 around June 19, 2017.
Ng made the payment to Goh via cheque dated around June 28 that year.
The court heard that after the payment, Goh regularly assisted Ng in preparing UCC’s quotations for projects offered by WRS.
Goh would advise Ng to adjust his quotation prices so that UCC could outbid its competitors and be considered favourably by WRS’ tender evaluation committee.
UCC was awarded three projects from WRS between July and September 2017.
This included door replacement works and installation of glass shelves at the Singapore Zoo, and fabrication and installation of bird sculptures and silhouettes at Jurong Bird Park, which shut in January this year to move to an upcoming attraction, Bird Paradise.
WRS had asked Goh for input on these projects in his capacity as a subject matter expert on subcontractors.
He recommended WRS to invite UCC to provide quotations for the Singapore Zoo projects, and recommended UCC for the project at Jurong Bird Park.
The duo met again sometime in September 2017, when Goh allegedly told Ng that he would continue to help UCC secure projects at WRS for the next three years, at a further payment of S$22,000 in “consultancy fee”.
After consideration, Ng agreed to this and made payment via cheque dated around Oct 5, 2017.
Between November and December 2017, UCC was awarded three projects for construction and repair works at the Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park.
At the time when the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau was investigating UCC, WRS was its sole client for its construction business.
Ng was charged on March 11 last year. His case is still pending.
Anyone convicted of corruption can be jailed for up to five years or fined up to S$100,000, or both.
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