SINGAPORE: Allegations of profiteering and corruption over the development of COVID-19 community care facilities at the Singapore Expo and Changi Exhibition Centre by Surbana Jurong are "false and malicious", the Government said on Wednesday (May 20).
"The Government accepts that legitimate questions can be raised about the spending, and is fully prepared to explain why and how money was spent," said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of National Development (MND) in a joint press release.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"However, the Government will respond firmly and appropriately to any scurrilous allegation of corruption."
[h=3]READ: Accusations of 'profiteering and corruption' over COVID-19 community care facilities untrue: Surbana Jurong[/h]On Tuesday, Surbana Jurong had also refuted "unfounded accusations of profiteering and corruption in some social media posts" about the setting up and running of community care facilities, but did not specify which posts it was referring to.
The company said it would not hesitate to take legal action against "any perpetrator who continues to make scurrilous attacks" against it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementCONVERTING SINGAPORE EXPO INTO A COMMUNITY CARE FACILITY
The ministries said that the development of community care facilities was part of a "comprehensive strategy" by the Government to care for COVID-19 patients at different stages of their infection and based on their needs for different types of treatment.
Community care facilities house COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms, or recovering patients who have been discharged from hospital.
These facilities include D'Resort, Singapore Expo and Changi Exhibition Centre.
Other types of facilities, including additional Government Quarantine Facilities and Community Recovery Facilities for those released from hospitals, had to be "built and prepared quickly, in a matter of days".
The Government asked Temasek, the parent company of Surbana Jurong, to help "at short notice", the ministries said.
"Temasek was approached because it had the necessary resources, to be marshalled, at short notice, through its subsidiaries," they added.
"Temasek agreed to assist, and also agreed that the work done by Temasek and its linked companies, would be done at cost recovery basis , and in some cases, below cost.
"There will be no profit made by Temasek and its linked companies for the work done. The Temasek linked companies agreed with these arrangements."
The Singapore Expo was then identified by Temasek as a suitable venue for a community care facility. It asked Surbana Jurong to convert it into Singapore's first large-scale community care facility.
A community isolation facility has been set up at the Singapore Expo. (Photo: Ministry of Defence)
[h=3]READ: Stretched but coping: How Singapore's healthcare system has cranked up efforts to deal with COVID-19[/h]Temasek also asked other companies to help with the Singapore Expo development, including overall project co-ordinator PSA International, Singapore Technologies Engineering and Sheares Healthcare.
External vendors such as Parkway Pantai, Resorts World Sentosa and Certis Cisco also contributed to the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility.
MOH worked with Temasek and the other entities on the healthcare requirements and needs for the community care facility site.
Once these were confirmed, MND liaised with the entities on the payments for the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility.
"This is because MND has also been liaising with other parties to pay for the provision of other facilities, like the dedicated stay-home notice facilities," the press release added.
GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND "FIRMLY AND APPROPRIATELY" TO ALLEGATIONS
Temasek did not charge any management fees and has only invoiced MND for expenses paid to third parties, the ministries said.
The Temasek-linked companies, including Surbana Jurong, will only charge for "direct expenditure", at cost.
"Some aspects were charged at below normal cost," the release said.
The Government was told by Temasek that SingEx Venues, which manages the Expo, will not charge the full capex cost.
"The Ministry of Manpower and the Minister for Manpower were not involved in the selection of Surbana Jurong (or any of the parties) to participate in the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility, and were not involved in the process of managing the costs of the project," said the ministries.
Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo’s husband is Mr Teo Eng Cheong, the Chief Executive (International) of Surbana Jurong.
The Community Isolation Facility for COVID-19 patients at the Singapore Expo and Max Atria. (Photo: Ministry of Health)
"Surbana Jurong worked with the other partners to complete the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility in a very short time," MND and MOH said.
"It was able to leverage its sourcing processes to obtain construction and other needed materials on an urgent basis.
"Despite the tight timelines and extensive work that was required, Surbana Jurong provided its expertise to develop the Singapore Expo community care facility at cost, without any profit or management fee."
The Government said it accepts that legitimate questions can be raised about spending and was "fully prepared" to explain why and how the money was spent, and that it would respond "firmly and appropriately to any scurrilous allegation of corruption".
MOH and MND thanked the parties involved in the fight against COVID-19, including Temasek companies, private sector companies, and other Singaporeans.
"We are grateful to all who have worked hard and around the clock to set up the Singapore Expo community care facility under extraordinary circumstances.
"This is a testament to the whole-of-society effort that has made it possible for us to combat and manage the COVID-19 virus."
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: Telegram: Contact @cnalatest
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"The Government accepts that legitimate questions can be raised about the spending, and is fully prepared to explain why and how money was spent," said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of National Development (MND) in a joint press release.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"However, the Government will respond firmly and appropriately to any scurrilous allegation of corruption."
[h=3]READ: Accusations of 'profiteering and corruption' over COVID-19 community care facilities untrue: Surbana Jurong[/h]On Tuesday, Surbana Jurong had also refuted "unfounded accusations of profiteering and corruption in some social media posts" about the setting up and running of community care facilities, but did not specify which posts it was referring to.
The company said it would not hesitate to take legal action against "any perpetrator who continues to make scurrilous attacks" against it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementCONVERTING SINGAPORE EXPO INTO A COMMUNITY CARE FACILITY
The ministries said that the development of community care facilities was part of a "comprehensive strategy" by the Government to care for COVID-19 patients at different stages of their infection and based on their needs for different types of treatment.
Community care facilities house COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms, or recovering patients who have been discharged from hospital.
These facilities include D'Resort, Singapore Expo and Changi Exhibition Centre.
Other types of facilities, including additional Government Quarantine Facilities and Community Recovery Facilities for those released from hospitals, had to be "built and prepared quickly, in a matter of days".
The Government asked Temasek, the parent company of Surbana Jurong, to help "at short notice", the ministries said.
"Temasek was approached because it had the necessary resources, to be marshalled, at short notice, through its subsidiaries," they added.
"Temasek agreed to assist, and also agreed that the work done by Temasek and its linked companies, would be done at cost recovery basis , and in some cases, below cost.
"There will be no profit made by Temasek and its linked companies for the work done. The Temasek linked companies agreed with these arrangements."
The Singapore Expo was then identified by Temasek as a suitable venue for a community care facility. It asked Surbana Jurong to convert it into Singapore's first large-scale community care facility.
[h=3]READ: Stretched but coping: How Singapore's healthcare system has cranked up efforts to deal with COVID-19[/h]Temasek also asked other companies to help with the Singapore Expo development, including overall project co-ordinator PSA International, Singapore Technologies Engineering and Sheares Healthcare.
External vendors such as Parkway Pantai, Resorts World Sentosa and Certis Cisco also contributed to the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility.
MOH worked with Temasek and the other entities on the healthcare requirements and needs for the community care facility site.
Once these were confirmed, MND liaised with the entities on the payments for the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility.
"This is because MND has also been liaising with other parties to pay for the provision of other facilities, like the dedicated stay-home notice facilities," the press release added.
GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND "FIRMLY AND APPROPRIATELY" TO ALLEGATIONS
Temasek did not charge any management fees and has only invoiced MND for expenses paid to third parties, the ministries said.
The Temasek-linked companies, including Surbana Jurong, will only charge for "direct expenditure", at cost.
"Some aspects were charged at below normal cost," the release said.
The Government was told by Temasek that SingEx Venues, which manages the Expo, will not charge the full capex cost.
"The Ministry of Manpower and the Minister for Manpower were not involved in the selection of Surbana Jurong (or any of the parties) to participate in the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility, and were not involved in the process of managing the costs of the project," said the ministries.
Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo’s husband is Mr Teo Eng Cheong, the Chief Executive (International) of Surbana Jurong.
"Surbana Jurong worked with the other partners to complete the development of the Singapore Expo community care facility in a very short time," MND and MOH said.
"It was able to leverage its sourcing processes to obtain construction and other needed materials on an urgent basis.
"Despite the tight timelines and extensive work that was required, Surbana Jurong provided its expertise to develop the Singapore Expo community care facility at cost, without any profit or management fee."
The Government said it accepts that legitimate questions can be raised about spending and was "fully prepared" to explain why and how the money was spent, and that it would respond "firmly and appropriately to any scurrilous allegation of corruption".
MOH and MND thanked the parties involved in the fight against COVID-19, including Temasek companies, private sector companies, and other Singaporeans.
"We are grateful to all who have worked hard and around the clock to set up the Singapore Expo community care facility under extraordinary circumstances.
"This is a testament to the whole-of-society effort that has made it possible for us to combat and manage the COVID-19 virus."
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: Telegram: Contact @cnalatest
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...