SINGAPORE: The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) received fewer corruption-related reports in 2024, with the number of cases registered for investigation also remaining low.
The anti-graft agency received 177 corruption-related reports last year, a drop of 18 per cent from the 215 reports in 2023.
Of these reports, the bureau registered 75 as new cases for investigation.
In its annual report on Wednesday (May 28), CPIB said 91 per cent or 68 cases registered for investigation were from the private sector.
The public sector accounted for the remaining 9 per cent with seven cases. This is lower than the annual average of 11 cases of the preceding four years, said CPIB.
Of the 68 private sector cases, 12 involved public sector employees rejecting bribes offered by private sector individuals.
This was higher than the annual average of nine cases of the preceding four years.
Public sector employees who rejected bribes comprised officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the National Environment Agency and the Singapore Police Force, said CPIB.
The agency also reported that 133 people - 128 from the private sector - were prosecuted in court for offences investigated by them in 2024.
The 75 reports registered as new cases for investigation constituted 42 per cent of the total number of corruption-related reports received last year.
This is an increase of 7 per cent compared with the average of the preceding four years.
The agency said a report is registered for investigation if the information received is pursuable.
"This is determined by the quality of relevant information provided," it said.
"Investigative enquiries and intelligence probes by CPIB also uncovered further information that enabled a higher percentage of reports to be registered for investigation."
CPIB said it maintained a "high clearance rate", completing investigations into 87 per cent of subjects it investigated last year.
Its conviction rate stood at 97 per cent, with four acquittals in 2024 and three cases currently pending appeal hearings.
CPIB said it continues to take "firm enforcement action without fear or favour in corruption cases involving both the public and private sectors".
"Effective international cooperation with foreign counterparts is also vital in ensuring that cross-border criminals cannot escape the long arm of the law."
CPIB cited three cases where such "firm enforcement" was taken - the investigation into former transport minister S Iswaran, the Citiraya case and the Seatrium investigation.
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October last year for obtaining gifts worth about S$403,300 (S$313,000) over seven years, from two businessmen he considered his friends - Ong Beng Seng and Lum Kok Seng.
He pleaded guilty to four charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which forbids all public servants from obtaining any valuable thing from someone involved with them in an official capacity, and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Ong's case is currently before the courts, while the Attorney-General's Chambers has said the prosecution will not file charges against Mr Lum.
Ng Teck Lee, the former CEO of Citiraya Industries, and his wife Thor Chwee Hwa were on the run for 19 years in connection to an embezzlement case involving more than S$72 million.
They were arrested in Malaysia on Dec 3 last year and given holding charges in Singapore the following day. CPIB investigations against them are ongoing.
The Seatrium case involved corrupt payments to advance the company's business interests in Brazil.
Former Sembcorp Marine CEO Wong Weng Sun and Lee Fook Kang, a Jurong Shipyard senior general manager, were directly involved in making corrupt payments.
Both men were charged in March last year, with the case still pending.
CPIB said Singapore continues to be "well-regarded internationally" for its anti-corruption framework and efforts.
The latest Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranked Singapore as the world's third least corrupt country in 2024, with a score of 84 out of 100.
"This is Singapore’s highest position since 2020 and the first time since 2010 that Singapore is top in the Asia Pacific region," said the agency.
The Political and Economic Risk Consultancy also ranked Singapore as the least corrupt country out of 16 economies in its 2024 Report on Corruption in Asia.
Singapore has held this position since 1995.
In the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2024, CPIB said Singapore maintained its ranking of third out of 142 countries for the absence of corruption in government.
There was also an improvement in the public perception of CPIB's corruption control efforts.
In a 2024 survey commissioned by the agency, 97 per cent of respondents rated corruption control efforts in Singapore as good, very good or excellent - up from 96 per cent in 2022 and 94 per cent in 2020.
Heavy punishment for corruption offences, effective anti-corruption law, political determination to keep corruption under control and a zero-tolerance culture for corruption were cited as the top factors contributing to the low corruption rate in Singapore.
CPIB said that "prevention, outreach and deterrence" form the cornerstone of Singapore’s efforts to remain corruption-free.
It engages key stakeholders, the community and the private sector to combat corruption.
"Singapore’s corruption situation remains firmly under control.
"We will continue to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders to enhance prevention efforts and amplify anti-corruption messages," the agency said.
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The anti-graft agency received 177 corruption-related reports last year, a drop of 18 per cent from the 215 reports in 2023.
Of these reports, the bureau registered 75 as new cases for investigation.
In its annual report on Wednesday (May 28), CPIB said 91 per cent or 68 cases registered for investigation were from the private sector.
The public sector accounted for the remaining 9 per cent with seven cases. This is lower than the annual average of 11 cases of the preceding four years, said CPIB.
Of the 68 private sector cases, 12 involved public sector employees rejecting bribes offered by private sector individuals.
This was higher than the annual average of nine cases of the preceding four years.
Public sector employees who rejected bribes comprised officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the National Environment Agency and the Singapore Police Force, said CPIB.
The agency also reported that 133 people - 128 from the private sector - were prosecuted in court for offences investigated by them in 2024.
"HIGH CLEARANCE RATE"
The 75 reports registered as new cases for investigation constituted 42 per cent of the total number of corruption-related reports received last year.
This is an increase of 7 per cent compared with the average of the preceding four years.
The agency said a report is registered for investigation if the information received is pursuable.
"This is determined by the quality of relevant information provided," it said.
"Investigative enquiries and intelligence probes by CPIB also uncovered further information that enabled a higher percentage of reports to be registered for investigation."
CPIB said it maintained a "high clearance rate", completing investigations into 87 per cent of subjects it investigated last year.
Its conviction rate stood at 97 per cent, with four acquittals in 2024 and three cases currently pending appeal hearings.
CPIB said it continues to take "firm enforcement action without fear or favour in corruption cases involving both the public and private sectors".
"Effective international cooperation with foreign counterparts is also vital in ensuring that cross-border criminals cannot escape the long arm of the law."
CPIB cited three cases where such "firm enforcement" was taken - the investigation into former transport minister S Iswaran, the Citiraya case and the Seatrium investigation.
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October last year for obtaining gifts worth about S$403,300 (S$313,000) over seven years, from two businessmen he considered his friends - Ong Beng Seng and Lum Kok Seng.
He pleaded guilty to four charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which forbids all public servants from obtaining any valuable thing from someone involved with them in an official capacity, and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Ong's case is currently before the courts, while the Attorney-General's Chambers has said the prosecution will not file charges against Mr Lum.
Ng Teck Lee, the former CEO of Citiraya Industries, and his wife Thor Chwee Hwa were on the run for 19 years in connection to an embezzlement case involving more than S$72 million.
They were arrested in Malaysia on Dec 3 last year and given holding charges in Singapore the following day. CPIB investigations against them are ongoing.
The Seatrium case involved corrupt payments to advance the company's business interests in Brazil.
Former Sembcorp Marine CEO Wong Weng Sun and Lee Fook Kang, a Jurong Shipyard senior general manager, were directly involved in making corrupt payments.
Both men were charged in March last year, with the case still pending.
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IMPROVEMENT IN RANKINGS, PUBLIC PERCEPTION
CPIB said Singapore continues to be "well-regarded internationally" for its anti-corruption framework and efforts.
The latest Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranked Singapore as the world's third least corrupt country in 2024, with a score of 84 out of 100.
"This is Singapore’s highest position since 2020 and the first time since 2010 that Singapore is top in the Asia Pacific region," said the agency.
The Political and Economic Risk Consultancy also ranked Singapore as the least corrupt country out of 16 economies in its 2024 Report on Corruption in Asia.
Singapore has held this position since 1995.
In the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2024, CPIB said Singapore maintained its ranking of third out of 142 countries for the absence of corruption in government.
There was also an improvement in the public perception of CPIB's corruption control efforts.
In a 2024 survey commissioned by the agency, 97 per cent of respondents rated corruption control efforts in Singapore as good, very good or excellent - up from 96 per cent in 2022 and 94 per cent in 2020.
Heavy punishment for corruption offences, effective anti-corruption law, political determination to keep corruption under control and a zero-tolerance culture for corruption were cited as the top factors contributing to the low corruption rate in Singapore.
CPIB said that "prevention, outreach and deterrence" form the cornerstone of Singapore’s efforts to remain corruption-free.
It engages key stakeholders, the community and the private sector to combat corruption.
"Singapore’s corruption situation remains firmly under control.
"We will continue to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders to enhance prevention efforts and amplify anti-corruption messages," the agency said.
Continue reading...