By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 09 December 2010 1734 hrs
SINGAPORE: A 40-year-old managing director of a
landscaping company involved in the Orchard Road Mall enhancement
works project was fined S$55,000 for corruption.
Tan Kok Keong from Kok Keong Landscape gave a bribe of S$1,500 to
an arborist, Victorine Noella Vijeysingha, in November 2008.
He handed over the money so that Ms Vijeysingha, who was the
project's resident technical officer, would be lenient when
supervising work done by his company.
The pair was at Orchard Road in October that year when Ms
Vijeysingha hinted that she wanted him to bribe her.
Tan agreed as the work completed by his company would have to first
pass her scrutiny before the National Parks Board conducted its
inspections.
He then told Ms Vijeysingha that he could give her S$1,500.
Tan did not want delays as they could lead to additional costs for
his firm.
Tan had also promised to give Ms Vijeysingha a bribe of S$30,000 in
March last year.
This, after she had told him that she could help him try to win a
contract for a separate project at Nassim Park condominium.
Court documents stated that Ms Vijeysingha told Tan that she could
recommend him to the firm in charge of the project, SCDA
Architects.
She had originally wanted a 10 per cent commission from the total
value of the million-dollar landscaping job.
But Tan later promised to give her S$30,000 instead - which was
about three per cent of the total value.
The court heard that, in the end, no agreement was reached between
the two.
Ms Vijeysingha hasn't been charged in court over her role in the
offences.
Those convicted of corruption can be jailed up to five years and
fined up to S$100,000 for each charge.
- CNA/fa
