Ex-RWS director, freelance surveyor charged for receiving $300,000 in bribes
They allegedly worked together to obtain more than $300,000 in bribes from contractors.
Soh Yew Meng, 36, who was a director at Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS), and freelance quantity surveyor Tan Siow Hui, 32, were charged in court yesterday with graft-related offences.
The pair allegedly committed the offences to promote the contractors' business interests with RWS.
Soh, who is married with two children aged nine and 13, is accused of four counts of obtaining bribes totalling $317,000 and three counts of attempting to obtain gratification for an unspecified sum of money.
Tan Siow Hui, a single mother with three children aged between five and 14, was charged with three counts of abetting to engage in a conspiracy with Soh to obtain $315,000 in bribes.
She is also accused of three counts of abetting to engage in a conspiracy with him in attempting to obtain bribes for an unspecified sum.
On two occasions between July 22, 2013 and Jan 15 last year, Soh allegedly obtained a total of $300,000 in bribes from managing director of Shanghai Chong Kee Furniture & Consultation, Mr Tan Ken Huat.
He is accused of obtaining them through Tan Siow Hui and Superiortec director, Mr Teo Wee Liap, whose company deals with security control equipment.
On July 28, 2013, Soh allegedly obtained $2,000 in bribes from freelance lighting designer, Mr Teo Sin Tiong, who worked for Maple Lighting Studio.
He is accused of obtaining $15,000 in bribes sometime between Nov 11 and Nov 19, 2013, from director of Beyond Builders, Mr Tan Choon Hung, through Tan Siow Hui.
In 2013, Soh allegedly worked together with her in attempting to obtain bribes from director of Novelty Project Services, Mr Goh Kheng Heng, and a man identified as Mr Douglas Gwee Kok Nian.
Soh and Tan's lawyer Dora Boon told the court yesterday that her clients intend to claimed trial.
Soh was offered bail of $150,000. Tan Siow Hui is out on $300,000 bail.
Their pre-trial conference will be on Oct 23.
In a statement yesterday, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said procurement systems and processes are there to ensure fair competition from bidding vendors.
It said: "But when individuals circumvent these processes and seek benefits for themselves, a level playing field becomes impossible to achieve."
An RWS spokesman told The New Paper yesterday: "Resorts World Sentosa upholds the highest standards of corporate governance and has a zero-tolerance policy against fraudulent behaviour.
"The former employee (Soh) involved in the case left the company in March 2014."
If convicted for each count of graft, Soh and Tan Siow Hui can be jailed up to five years and fined up to $100,000.
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