2 ex-Keppel Fels employees fined for taking $60,000 in bribes
Two men who were senior executives at offshore structure builder Keppel Fels were on Friday hit with fines over corruption charges involving overseas trips that cost nearly $60,000 in total.
Wong Kok Seng, 72, visited China while Tan Seng Cheh, 64, travelled to places such as Japan.
The two, who are no longer with Keppel Fels, had accepted the bribes from Thong Chee Kong, 53, to advance the business interests of Keppel with Corus South East Asia, which is in the business of marketing semi-finished steel products.
Thong was then a regional general manager at Corus.
At the time of the offences, Wong was a senior general manager of group procurement at Keppel Fels while Tan was a senior sub-contract manager and assistant general manager at the same company.
Tan’s offences involved $53,672.35 in total, and he has since made restitution of $50,000.
He was fined $85,000 on Friday and ordered to pay a penalty of $3,672.35. Three other charges, including those linked to the remaining amount, were considered during sentencing.
Thong had paid about $24,000 for Tan’s trip to Japan. According to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Thong did this in or before 2008.
Separately, in 2006, Thong paid $5,850 towards a trip to China for Wong and Wong’s wife.
On Friday, Wong, who has since made full restitution, pleaded guilty to a graft charge and was fined $15,000.
The CPIB said that Thong left Singapore in 2008 and was arrested in 2022 when he returned to the country.
His case is pending.
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