Ex-AMK Town Council GM charged with graft

A former general manager and secretary of Ang Mo Kio Town Council, who allegedly took bribes amounting to $107,000 from the director of two building companies, was charged with corruption yesterday.

Wong Chee Meng, 58, also known as Victor Wong, faces 55 counts of corruptly accepting gratification from Chia Sin Lan, the director and shareholder of 19-ANC Enterprise and 19-NS2 Enterprise.

He allegedly did this in exchange for advancing the business interests of the companies with the town council, State Courts documents show.

The alleged bribes include:

- Remittances to Wong's mistress in China that amounted to $30,600.

- Entertainment expenses of more than $40,000 at various KTV lounges and nightclubs in Singapore.

- Restaurant meals that cost close to a total of $5,000.

- A "spa treatment" in Geylang that cost around $1,070.

- Stays at Fragrance Hotel and Hotel 81, which cost, respectively, about $35 and $30.

- A job for Wong's daughter-in-law Le Thi Hien at 4-Ever Engineering firm. Chia's company 19-ANC Enterprise paid a total of $8,247.67 in salary to Ms Le between March and August 2016.

- Charges amounting to $2,527.76 for Wong's use of an M1 mobile phone line.

The alleged offences took place between December 2014 and September 2016.

Chia, 62, is accused of 54 counts of offering bribes to Wong.

He also faces one count of abetment for allegedly conspiring with 19-ANC project director Yip Fong Yin to bribe Wong by making arrangements for Wong to receive a $13,500 discount on a Toyota Corolla Altis car he bought.

Each of Chia's companies face one charge of corruption for conspiring to bribe Wong to advance business interests with the town council.

According to the Building and Construction Authority's directory, both businesses are licensed builders and registered to carry out repair and redecoration works.

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As general manager, Wong was the most senior executive in the town council, but his employer was CPG Facilities Management, the town council's managing agent.

He was removed from duty after the town council received a complaint about him in September 2016 over "the way he handles contracts and dealings in the town council".

He was later investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.

The town council appointed a new general manager, Mr Ang Boon Peng, in April last year.

Wong's lawyer Tang Shangwei and Chia's lawyer Michael Loh said both men intend to claim trial, and each of them is out on a $100,000 bail.

Their passports have been impounded, and their case will be heard on April 11.

If convicted, each could be fined up to $100,000 and jailed for a maximum of seven years on each charge.

The companies could each face a fine of up to $100,000 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.