Officials at the Singapore Sports Council are involved in a
probe into the tender for the Changi Motorsports Hub. (SSC
photo)
In a move that has shocked the motorsports industry in
Singapore, the
Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) has launched a
probe into the tender for the S$380 million
Changi Motorsports Hub.
According to The Straits Times, a senior official at
the motorsports development arm of the
Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and a few others have been
summoned for interviews and lie detector tests.
The CPIB launched investigations last year, after it was tipped
off about possible irregularities in the tender — won by the
SG Changi consortium in March last year – for the
upcoming motorsports hub.
SG Changi, led by home-grown Jurong Kart World along with its
Japanese partners, edged out two other bidders for the right to
build the 40,000 square metre-large facility off Changi Coast
Road.
The two other consortia who submitted bids were
Singapore Agro Agriculture and
Sports Services, which was backed by Haw Par Corporation, a
public-listed leisure and health-care products firm.
Last March, government officials were impressed by the winning
bid’s innovative 3.7km track design that allows two races to
be staged simultaneously, the quality of the international and
local events to be brought in and the group’s financial
strength.
The tendering process for the mega-project was handled by the
sports council’s motorsports department, which was set up in recent
years to promote the sport here.
It is staffed by a small group of officials, including
those seconded from other government departments.
According to reports, the senior official at the heart of the
probe is known as a passionate champion of motorsports and his
involvement in the investigations has come as
a shock.
After months of investigation, the CPIB case is believed to
have been extended to include the consortium, which received its
permit to start work from the authorities last month.
Last month, SG Changi’s director Genji Hashimoto, a former race
driver, was reported to have suddenly resigned. Businessman Moto
Sakuma has since taken over.
When contacted on Wednesday by the same paper, both the CPIB and
Mr Sakuma declined comment. Mr Alvin Hang, SSC’s director of
corporate communications and relations, said, “We are unable to
comment on this matter at this point in time.”
The motorsports hub - aimed at cementing Singapore’s
reputation as a regional motorsports hub following the
Formula One (F1) night race here in 2008 – is expected to be
completed by the end of the year.
The Changi track is set to host its first race early next year,
and there has been talk of it staging a
MotoGP leg, motorcycle’s equivalent of F1.
It remains unknown if the investigations have been conclusive
thus far, but according to Mr Chia Boon Teck, a partner at Chia
Wong law firm, lie detector tests are standard procedure in graft
cases where the evidence is not clear-cut.
“These tests are not compulsory, and it is up to the suspect
whether or not to undergo it,” he added.
