A former Keppel Shipyard senior procurement officer has admitted to taking more than $740,000 in bribes from 2007 to 2014, a district court heard yesterday.

Neo Kian Siong admitted that while at the firm, he had obtained the bribes from some of its suppliers after revealing to them the prices quoted by their competitors.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Sng said: "These suppliers would generally call him just before the deadline to submit quotes for a given order, at which point the accused would inform them of the lowest existing quote. This allowed them to submit a quote that was slightly lower and thereby obtain orders from Keppel Shipyard. The accused was not authorised to give such information to the suppliers."

Neo, 63, pleaded guilty yesterday to 26 corruption charges and 28 counts of dealing with the benefits of his ill-gotten gains.

DPP Sng said Neo started working for Keppel Shipyard in 1981 as a clerical assistant and became a senior procurement officer in 2014. He was tasked with procuring supplies such as steel structures and pipes. He handled about 8,000 purchase orders in 2014.

According to court documents, Neo received bribes from eight people: Mr Ong Chim Sum, founding director of Kim Seng Huat; his son, Mr Andy Ong Tong Yang; Mr Tony Ong Swee Tek, founder of First Hydraulic and Industries; Ms Juliana Lee May Ling, founder of Athical Engineering; Mr Sean Tee Boon Seng, then external sales engineer with Prochem Pipeline Products Singapore; Mr Nik Chew Kin Peng, then a director at Special Steel and Alloy; Mr Ivan Chui Kum Hoong from U-Metal; and Mr Martin Kuah Wee Peng, who told Neo in 2009 he would be taking over Wee Tat Marine Hardware from his father. These eight have not been taken to court.

Neo is out on bail of $50,000 and is expected to be sentenced on April 17.

Shaffiq Alkhatib