Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) has dismissed a senior
executive after he voluntarily admitted to receiving illegal
payments and misappropriating shopping vouchers handled by his
Editorial Projects Unit.
According to a SPH statement on Thursday, police are conducting
investigations on 47-year-old Peter Khoo Chong Meng, a 22-year
veteran of the media group and a vice-president in the English
& Malay Newspapers Division.
Mr Khoo has reportedly repaid S$196,500
for payments he admitted to receiving illegally and for the
vouchers he misappropriated.
The vouchers were intended for branding and promotion activities
of The Straits Times, which his Editorial Projects Unit
organises.
The illegal payments are believed to be related to external
vendors who provided souvenirs, gifts, T-shirts and various
goodie items.
The news came to light after the married father of one confessed
to his editors earlier this week what he had done. It’s not
clear over how long his offences took place or if they would
have been discovered at all if he had not come forward.
Mr Khoo also chaired the organising committee which coordinates
events and activities to raise funds for The Straits Times School
Pocket Money Fund (STPMF). He has been replaced in this role with
immediate effect.
As the Unit organises fund-raising activities for the STPMF, SPH
said that, to the best of the company’s knowledge, none of the
donations made to the Fund were misappropriated.
The Fund, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this
year, helps needy children with education and living costs in
Singapore. Over the past 10 years, the Fund has raised a total
of $30 million through various campaigns.
As recently as July this year, Khoo launched its
Help-A-Kid coin bank campaign, which encouraged Singaporeans to
purchase 50,000 coin banks at $5 each to help the less
fortunate.
The money collected by STPMF is kept in an account with the
National Council of Social Service (NCSS), who in turn disburses
the funds out to needy students.
When contacted by The Straits Times, Khoo declined comment and
said his lawyers have advised him to refrain from making any
statement.
In a statement, SPH chief executive officer Alan Chan said: “SPH
takes a serious view of the matter. We are reviewing our internal
processes and will do whatever is necessary to tighten our
procedures in all aspects, including that of the Pocket Money Fund.
Our external auditors have also been informed.”
Chief editor of the newspaper, Han Fook Kwang, was also
quoted as saying, “This is a big setback for us. While we do not
believe the STPMF was involved, I would like to assure our many
donors and supporters that it is our top priority to maintain the
integrity of the Straits Times Pocket Money Fund.”
An editor with the media group, who declined to be named, told
Yahoo! Singapore his initial reaction was one of shock.
“I heard his(Khoo’s) staff were in tears. I’m surprised why a
man of his level would succumb to greed. I mean, it’s $200k, it’s
not worth losing your career over, especially, when he earns about
$15k a month,” he said.
“His staff were disappointed because he always nagged them about
being prudent and cost-conscious and about being honest when
dealing with clients,” he added.
Asked if he thought more than one could be involved, he said,” I
don’t think so. And it did not involve the ST Pocket Money Fund,
which he was in charge of.”
Another sub-editor within the group, who requested to
remain anonymous, said it was “disheartening” to hear the news.
“People are losing confidence in charities and fundraising and
to have someone from the organisation embroiled in this is
disheartening,” she said.
“Given that he was a journalist with the national paper makes it
worse because we tend to expect more from people of this
profession,” she added.
Another SPH magazine editor said he was “disappointed that
someone who earns so much still wants to steal.”
-- Yahoo! News
