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SINGAPORE – Liew Mun Leong resigned as chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong, days after the Supreme Court acquitted his former robbery maid and raised questions about his motivations for filing a police report against him.
He has also resigned from his positions as Senior International Business Advisor at Singapore investment firm Temasek and as a member of the board of the Temasek Foundation.
In a statement on Thursday (September 10), Mr. Liew said that he had decided to advance his retirement from these roles.
“Those who know me will know that I am passionate about the roles and missions of these organizations,” he said.
“I do not want my current situation to be a distraction to their respective boards, management and staff, amid their many critical priorities.”
He added that, if necessary, he and his family would continue to provide full cooperation to both the Attorney General (AGC) and the police in reviewing the case.
Last Friday, Judge Chan Seng Onn acquitted the Liews’ former Indonesian servant, Parti Liyani, of stealing from Mr. Liew and his family. Parti, 46, who worked for the Liew family from 2007 to 2016, had been charged with stealing items worth more than $ 34,000.
A district judge found her guilty of four counts of robbery and handed down a 26-month jail sentence in March last year, which she appealed to in Superior Court.
On Tuesday, Ms. Parti was acquitted of a fifth count of fraudulent possession of property, releasing her from all criminal charges.
In his view, Judge Chan noted that “some time before her dismissal”, Ms. Parti had expressed dissatisfaction at having to do the extra work of cleaning the home and office of Mr. Liew’s son, Karl.
“There is reason to believe that the Liew family, realizing their unhappiness, took the first preventative step to terminate their employment suddenly without giving them enough time to pack, in the hope that Parti would not use the time to make a complaint to MOM (Ministry of Manpower) ”, said the judge.
When Ms. Parti threatened to complain to MOM after her sudden termination, Mr. Liew and his son followed up with a police report to prevent her from returning to Singapore to file the complaint, the judge said.
The AGC, police and MOM have said they are reviewing the handling of the case, which has also sparked a public outcry against Liew.
In his statement on Thursday, Mr. Liew explained why he filed the report, saying: “When my family discovered some of our belongings in Ms. Liyani’s boxes, I proceeded to make a police report the same afternoon I returned from foreigner, because he truly believed that if there were suspicions of wrongdoing, it is our civic duty to report the matter to the police and let the authorities investigate accordingly.
“The police carried out their investigations. Ms. Liyani was subsequently arrested by the police and then charged by the Public Ministry,” he added.
“During the investigations and the trial, my family members and I fully cooperated with the police and gave statements and evidence when necessary.
“The Superior Court has made its decision. I have faith in our legal system and I respect the Superior Court’s decision,” he said.
Mr. Liew added that, if necessary, he was willing to assist or advise, without compensation and in any appropriate way, given the ongoing challenges that Covid-19 poses, to the organizations from which he was withdrawing.
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