CPIB investigating AMK Town Council General Manager

• QX179R

  30 Dec 16, 21:05

  CPIB investigating Ang Mo Kio Town Council General Manager

  SINGAPORE: Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) general manager and secretary Victor Wong is being investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a town council spokesperson confirmed to Channel NewsAsia on Friday (Dec 30). 

  
  

  He was asked to go on leave following a complaint against him in September, AMKTC said. 

  
  

  The spokesperson added that its acting general manager Lim Kian Chiong is covering Wong's duties. 

  
  

  In response to queries from Channel NewsAsia, CPIB said it "has received a report on the matter and is currently looking into it".

  
  

  AMKTC vice chairman, MP Darryl David confirmed that Wong is under investigation. 

  
  

  The managing agent for AMKTC said that "investigations (into) one of our employees" is ongoing. In its statement, CPG Facilities Management added: "The employee has been suspended from his duties, pending outcome of the investigations."

  
  

  The firm added that it is unable to disclose further information as investigations are still underway. 

  
  

  When Channel NewsAsia visited Ang Mo Kio on Friday, many residents were initially unaware of the news. 

  
  

  Sales executive Koh Liang Pheng, 43, said he found the development "surprising" but added that it "doesn't really matter".

  
  

  "Our estate is well taken care of, so I really have no complaints ... This is PM Lee (Hsien Loong)'s ward; he is a good MP for us," he said. 

  
  

  "This case is a good reminder for Ang Mo Kio residents to not be complacent. We as residents need to hold our town council leaders accountable when they make mistakes. They can't just take it for granted that this is PM (Lee)'s ward, and things will all be taken care of," said Ms Gurmail Kaur, 58, part-time teacher.

  
  

  Mr Keng Seah, 55, expressed concern about the area's cleanliness, as well as the town council's governance in future. 

  
  

  "I just hope that the maintenance services are not affected, like the cleaning of rubbish and maintenance of public equipment ... I also hope that this incident will encourage the town council to come up with immediate preventive actions so that this does not happen again," the Ang Mo Kio resident said.

  
  

  - CNA/dl
• FireIce

  1 Jan 17, 16:20

  w00h00~
  so happening sia

  in AMK TC somemore

• ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

  3 Jan 17, 11:35

  ah loong's ward 

• Selma

  3 Jan 17, 18:49

  Hi

  I cant seem to find an active topic on shop lifting. Asking on behalf, my friend has 2 previous shop theft records. 1st she was let off with a warning in 2006. 2nd time in 2010 she was fined ard 1k plus. She got caught again recently. She offered to settle but the shop still wanted to pursue the case. She has to meet the IO on 17 Jan 2017. She is unemployed since May 2016 and was unsuccessful in getting jobs. She stole because she was desperate to feed her 7yr old daughter.  Husband was also retrenched in March and was unsuccessful in getting jobs. Any advice is deeply appreciated. Serious ones please thank you. 

• Baemon

  3 Jan 17, 18:53

  May god bless your friend

• Selma

  3 Jan 17, 18:56

  Will she be jailed?

• Baemon

  3 Jan 17, 19:08

  Depends on the shop owners...

• QX179R

  6 Jan 17, 21:21

  'Let the law take its course': Shanmugam on Ang Mo Kio Town Council General Manager

  SINGAPORE: Minister for Law and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Friday (Jan 6) said the best way to deal with investigations such as the one involving Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) General Manager Victor Wong is to "let the law take its course". 

  
  

  Speaking on the sidelines of a news conference following the conclusion of a review on handling young suspects, Mr Shanmugam said the AMKTC case shows "the essence of how this Government operates". 

  
  

  "Regardless of who, regardless of the fact that this is the general manager of Ang Mo Kio Town Council, if there is an allegation, it will be investigated and no one will be spared. No town council, no one, nothing will be swept under the carpet. That is why Singapore is successful - because we take probity in public office very, very seriously," he said. 

  
  

  AMKTC general manager and secretary Victor Wong is being investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). He was asked to go on leave following a complaint against him in September. 

  
  

  Mr Shanmugam contrasted the approach being taken in this case with the then-Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council, which has been under scrunity for its relationship between its former managing agent FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) and Essential Maintenance Service Unit (EMSU) contractor FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI). 

  
  

  The Workers' Party-held town council was renamed AHTC after losing its single-ward Punggol East seat to the ruling People's Action Party in the 2015 General Election.

  
  

  "In Aljunied Town Council, court application after court application, auditor-general to investigate because they wouldn't give the information to their own auditors. Their own auditors prepared a report saying we are being denied the information. You call that good behaviour with public funds? Investigations are ongoing because you have a further set of accountants looking at more information. Eventually, all of this will have to come to a full circle once the auditors have finished their work. There is more to come," Mr Shanmugam said. 

  
  

  "But this is not the way to do things. The way to do it is to disclose all the information; be upfront; hand it over and then let the law take its course. Not hide every step of the way."

  
  

  In response to a question asking if PAP town councils should be clean to begin with, the Law and Home Affairs Minister said: "You find me a set of people in the world, a society, where nobody commits offences and everybody is clean. 

  
  

  "The real point is whether the system as a whole is clean, primarily, whether the man at the top is clean, whether the system moves quickly and immediately and forcefully regardless of who it is. You look for clean people but sometimes people fall prey to temptation."

  
  

  "In Ang Mo Kio Town Council, complaint made, CPIB is in," he said. 

  
  

  - CNA/dl
• FireIce

  6 Jan 17, 21:24

  eh. so is what leh?

• ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

  9 Jan 17, 19:16

  must be pay not enuff la~ 

   

  or simi no dignity nonsense

• lce

  9 Jan 17, 22:56

  If absolute power corrupts absolutely, does absolute powerlessness make you pure? -

   Harry Shearer

• lce

  9 Jan 17, 22:57

  Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. - Lord Acton

• iveco

  9 Jan 17, 23:19

  In AHTC's case, no evidence of illegal activity was found and no charges were laid. This time it is serious. Pray that CPIB does their job properly. Also, LTK is right in that we should avoid speculation and let the authorities finish the investigation before commenting further.

• iveco

  9 Jan 17, 23:20

  Originally posted by FireIce:

  eh. so is what leh?

  I only know Shanmugam is PAP attack dog. God knows if he has rabies.

• gekpohboy

  9 Jan 17, 23:48

  This type of thing very clear cut.

  If found guilty, punish accordingly.

  As simple as that.

• gekpohboy

  9 Jan 17, 23:53

  By revealing, it actually shows that the PAP is clean.

  By delaying, it actually shows that the PAP has a system; does not jump to conclusion.

  It's actually in favour of the PAP.

• minx

  10 Jan 17, 00:03

  Berry good   .... keeps attacking AHTC now retribution ..... some more is under lau qua loong the arrogant useless jerk.   Sissy lee no care ??? 

• ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

  10 Jan 17, 13:52

  looon ah looon, issit you no pay ur staff high enuff?