A senior manager with Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort was jailed and fined yesterday for graft and cheating offences.
Lim Gim Siong, 51, was jailed for seven days for abetting subordinate Chen Fucheng to deceive MBS into approving Mr Chen's overtime claim of about $40 when the supervisor did not work during the time stated on Feb 6, 2013.
Lim was also fined a total of $58,000 and ordered to pay a penalty of $4,037 for corruption involving no less than $5,437.
He pleaded guilty to seven charges of graft for obtaining bribes in the form of a mini iPad and a mobile phone worth $700 each from a director of Kee Hardware, as well as dinner and entertainment treats from a project manager of Cyclet Electrical Engineering - to further the two companies' business interests with MBS.
As senior manager of technical services at the electrical section of MBS' meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) arm, Lim had to ensure that event sites were set up on time and in compliance with client requests.
When necessary, he would engage third-party vendors and suppliers to help him.
Between 2012 and 2014, he corruptly obtained various gifts and other benefits in kind from Mr Quek Boon Chye, a director of Kee Hardware, a supplier of industrial products.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vincent Ong said Lim's requests for gifts were made through his subordinates, such as Mr Chen, 32, and would be framed as a request for gifts for all of them.
Mr Quek acceded to Lim's persistent requests for treats and gifts because he felt that Lim would be able to advance his business interests at MBS.
He was also concerned that Lim would find fault with his products and that he might stop getting orders from MBS' Mice team.
Through his subordinates, Lim also obtained dinner treats costing from $1,416 to $3,742, and entertainment from Mr Jeffrey Lim Teck Hoe, a project manager with Cyclet, which installed electrical works at MBS event sites.
Mr Lim agreed to give the corrupt gratifications to Lim as he did not want Lim or his team to find fault with the electrical works carried out by Cyclet or to complain about its workers' competency, said DPP Ong.
For the cheating charge, Lim approved an overtime claim made by Mr Chen, falsely stating that he worked from 4pm to 7.30pm when he had worked only from 4pm to 6pm.
Lim could have been fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed for up to five years for each count of graft.
The cheating offence is punishable with up to 10 years' jail and a fine.
Elena Chong
