Fines for 2 ex-Keppel Fels employees who took overseas trips worth nearly $60k as bribes
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Wong Kok Seng (right), 72, visited China while Tan Seng Cheh, 64, travelled to places such as Japan.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE
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SINGAPORE – Two former senior executives of offshore structure builder Keppel Fels were on Friday hit with fines over corruption charges involving overseas trips that cost nearly $60,000 in total.
Wong Kok Seng, 72, visited China while Tan Seng Cheh, 64, travelled to places such as Japan.
They had accepted the bribes from Thong Chee Kong, 53, to advance the business interests of Keppel Fels with Corus South East Asia, which markets semi-finished steel products.
Thong was then a regional general manager at Corus.
At the time of the offences, Wong was a senior general manager of group procurement at Keppel Fels, while Tan was a senior sub-contract manager and assistant general manager.
Tan’s offences involved a total of $53,672.35. He has since voluntarily surrendered $50,000 to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
He was fined $85,000 and ordered to pay a penalty of $3,672.35 on Friday after pleading guilty to a graft charge that involved a sum of around $24,500. Three other charges, including those linked to the remaining amount, were considered during sentencing.
During court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Shao Yan said that Tan and Thong had maintained that it was important for the two companies to have a good working relationship.
Tan said this was because Keppel Fels had to get its steel supply from companies such as Corus.
Some time before Jan 2, 2008, he accepted Thong’s offer to pay for his holiday. “Consequently, (Tan) went to Japan with his family, which included his wife and two sons. Thong paid for the accused’s expenses using funds from Corus,” the DPP said.
According to court documents, the trip cost about $24,500 in total.
Defence lawyer Joyce Khoo from Quahe Woo & Palmer told the court that Tan had cooperated with investigations since 2011.
She also said a very low level of harm was caused and Keppel Fels suffered no losses.
As for Wong, the DPP said he accepted Thong’s invitation to travel to China on or before Sept 13, 2006. Wong went there with his wife, with Thong footing the $5,850 bill.
Wong, who has surrendered the full amount to CPIB, pleaded guilty to a graft charge on Friday and was fined $15,000.
Tan’s and Wong’s offences came to light when Thong, who left Singapore in 2008, was arrested in 2022 when he returned to the country. His case is pending.
