21 police, ICA, auxiliary officers lauded for rejecting bribes, reporting corruption

SINGAPORE – When Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer Ernest Low was offered a bribe at Changi Airport, he knew it would be a long day as he would have to question the traveller.

The man, a Chinese national who had earlier been stopped by ICA from entering Singapore, handed Low a $100 bill on the afternoon of March 2, 2025, in an attempt to remain here.

On Sept 18, 2026, at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Low was one of 21 officers from ICA, the Singapore Police Force, Certis and Aetos who were lauded for preventing and reporting corrupt practices.

In the 2025 incident, after Low was offered the money, he asked the traveller what it was for. The man said he had spent money to travel to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur and did not want his prior bookings to be in vain.

Low rejected the bribe, informed him that this was a crime and detained him. The 36-year-old traveller was sentenced to three weeks’ jail in April 2025.

Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan presented the awards at the 2026 event organised by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

He commended the officers for having integrity at work, even when people do not notice.

Low, 29, who is now a manager in the policy and development division at ICA, said of the 2025 case: “My immediate reaction was to make sure that I rejected his bribe very clearly so it would be clear to everybody that ICA officers act with integrity.”

Releasing its annual statistics on April 28, the CPIB said 68 cases were registered for investigation in 2025, down from 75 in 2024 and 81 the previous year. Of the 68 cases registered for investigation in 2025, 22 involved public service officers rejecting bribes.

The theme of the Sept 18 event was “Advancing Anti-Corruption for Trust and Business Growth”.

Tan said: “We still hear, from time to time, that anti-corruption measures burden businesses by slowing processes and adding costs. I do understand and appreciate these sentiments, but those who think this way may have the equation backwards. Companies with good governance are better able to manage risks and attract trusted partners.”

He added that over the past decade, construction, manufacturing, transport and storage were among the main industries vulnerable to private sector corruption.

According to CPIB, a gift given innocently and without any corrupt intention is not considered corruption.

But if a gift is given or received with a view to securing or reciprocating, for example, an unfair advantage, it may be considered an act of corruption.

Tan noted that many companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, want to do the right thing but are unsure of where to start.

To this, he said CPIB has resources to help companies assess risks and review policies, while trade associations and industry leaders can help businesses understand risks and share their experiences with peers.

He also urged organisations to assess corruption risks, close gaps and strengthen standards, with compliance teams, business leaders and industry bodies each playing a role in driving improvements.

He said: “We built Singapore’s clean reputation together through choices to do the right thing, even when it’s inconvenient. It belongs to all of us, and we must protect it together.”

You can report corruption to CPIB on its website or by calling its hotline on 1800-376-0000.

You can also e-mail report@cpib.gov.sg or visit or write to CPIB Headquarters at 2 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 159047.