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SINGAPORE: While fewer reports related to corruption were received in 2019, more cases were reported for investigation.
Still, overall statistics show that the corruption situation in Singapore remains “firmly under control,” the Office of Corrupt Practices Investigation (CPIB) said in a press release on Wednesday (April 29).
The agency said it received 350 reports related to corruption in 2019, a slight drop from 358 in 2018. But of these, CPIB registered 119 cases for investigation in 2019, compared to 107 the previous year, an increase of 11 per hundred.
The total percentage of registered cases increased to 34 percent, compared to the annual average of 28 percent in the past four years.
Corruption cases are evaluated by the Complaints Evaluation Committee and a case is registered for investigation “if the information received is prosecutable”, which is determined by the “quality of the relevant information provided”.
CPIB said more reports ended up being logged for investigation due to better quality information, along with “efforts to improve investigations and intelligence probes.”
CPIB said it “takes a serious view of all the reports and information that may reveal any crime under the Corruption Prevention Act.”
He added that such reports and information are “thoroughly reviewed regardless of the nature or amount of the award, or whether the plaintiff is named or anonymous.”
He also offered guidance on the type of information one should include in a corruption complaint:
- Where, when and how did the alleged corrupt act occur?
- Who was involved and what were their roles?
- What was the bribe given and the favor shown?
CASES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
In 2019, private sector cases continued to form the majority of cases registered for investigation at 90 percent.
There were 107 such cases in 2019, slightly higher than the annual average for the past four years.
Of these cases, 10 percent, or 11 cases, involved public sector employees, officers of the Singapore Police, the Immigration and Control Authority, Singapore Customs and the Central Narcotics Office, who rejected the bribes offered by individuals in the private sector.
Most of the people prosecuted in court (142 of 147) belonged to the private sector.
A significant proportion of these was carried out in construction and building maintenance work with 30%.
PUBLIC SECTOR CASES
Public sector cases accounted for 10% of all cases registered for investigation in 2019, the CPIB said.
The number of public sector cases registered in 2019 remained low in 12 cases, similar to the annual average of the previous four years.
Public sector employees accounted for about 3 percent of the total number of people prosecuted in court in 2019, comparable to the previous two years.
The custodial sentences were applied to these people convicted of corruption offenses, said the CPIB.
SITUATION OF CORRUPTION IN SINGAPORE
The corruption situation in Singapore remains firmly under control, CPIB said, citing the international community’s respect for Singapore’s anti-corruption efforts.
A higher annual approval rate for IBPD cases was achieved in 2019, with investigations of 85 percent of the total number of subjects investigated for IBCP in the completed year.
This represented an improvement of 5% over the previous year despite a “higher workload”.
Conviction rates for CPIB cases in the past 5 years have remained above 97 percent, due to a “strong commitment to bringing corrupt criminals to task” along with the Chambers of the Attorney General (AGC).
The CPIB also noted that Singapore was ranked the fourth least corrupt of 180 countries and territories on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, as well as that Singapore improved its score while maintaining its top position in the latest Corruption Survey. of the Political and Economic Risks Consulting 2020.
“Singapore has been successful in fighting corruption, but we cannot afford to let our guard down. Corruption must not be allowed to infiltrate our way of life and undermine Singapore’s reputation as an uncorrupted and just society, “said CPIB.
“CPIB remains resolute and committed in the fight against corruption and will continue to strengthen its operational capabilities to better detect and investigate corruption crimes.”
