SINGAPORE — An assistant director of the National Library Board (NLB) was charged on Wednesday (Feb 7) with corruption, as well as offences that include cheating and falsifying quotations for projects at the National Archives of Singapore.
Adrian Chan Siew Leng, 48, allegedly committed the offences between 2018 and 2020.
Ten other people were also charged, including the directors of several companies.
Chan is accused of obtaining S$50,000 in bribes on several occasions from the director of Pan Prebuild, 49-year-old Puan Kai Hsiong, as a reward for advancing the construction company’s business interests with NLB.
He is also accused of obtaining another S$90,000 in bribes from Francis Lim Boon Hor, 49, the sales director of Broadcast Engineering Services (BES).
CHEATING OFFENCES
According to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Chan allegedly conspired with Lim sometime in March 2018 to conceal from NLB that variations to a contract had resulted in savings of S$245,720.
As a result, NLB paid the additional amount to BES.
The contract was for improving the audio visual infrastructure and systems of the National Archives.
About a year later, Chan allegedly worked with Puan to cheat BES into thinking that Pan Prebuild had completed works at the National Archives, when they had not.
“As such, BES was dishonestly induced to pay S$30,000 to Pan Prebuild on Apr 3, 2019,” said CPIB.
Pan Prebuild was a sub-contractor of BES.
FALSIFIED QUOTATIONS
Chan also faces charges surrounding false quotations.
He allegedly instigated John Paul Tan Wei Ming, a 40-year-old senior sales manager of Broadcast Professional, to give him bogus quotations for a tender for a digital cinema system at the Oldham Theatre of the National Archives.
Tan then allegedly conspired with employees of Broadcast Professional and two companies — Multimedia Maestro and Integra Interactive — to provide the false quotations.
The accused are Broadcast Professional’s director Fong Choon Yew and sales director Ho Chan Shen, Multimedia Maestro directors Kwa Kaoh Wee and Soh Ling Ling, as well as the sole proprietor of Integra Interactive Tan Hong Liang.
It is also alleged that Chan violated the Official Secrets Act by sending Tan from Broadcast Professional information relating to the budgetary quote for the Oldham Theatre project.
“The information had been entrusted in confidence to Adrian (Chan) by a person holding office under the government,” said CPIB.
The case against Chan was referred to CPIB by the Auditor-General’s Office. CNA
