SINGAPORE - The Attorney-General's Chambers is reviewing the Commercial Affairs Department's investigation findings into an alleged misuse of funds which resulted in police raids in 2017 of the offices of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and three local football clubs, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said on Monday (April 5).
In a written reply to a parliamentary question from Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), Mr Shanmugam added that it is not appropriate to comment further at this point.
The police report was made by national agency Sport Singapore in April 2017, ahead of the FAS elections held that month.
That election was a landmark for local football as affiliates were, for the first time, allowed to elect their leaders. Previous office bearers were appointed by the Government until this practice was found to contravene Fifa's regulations in 2015.
Lawyer Lim Kia Tong was eventually voted as FAS president. His slate of nine, called Team LKT, won the vote 30-13, beating the team Game Changers, fielded by Hougang United and Tiong Bahru Football Club chairman Bill Ng.
The police probe in 2017 was sparked by a revelation of a $500,000 donation by amateur club Tiong Bahru through the FAS to the Asean Football Federation.
A police raid was carried out on four locations - the FAS' Jalan Besar headquarters, and the clubhouses of Hougang United, a professional team in the S-League (now rebranded the Singapore Premier League), Tiong Bahru and inactive former S-League side Woodlands Wellington.
Mr Ng was one of four people arrested - the others being his wife, Bonnie, former FAS general secretary Winston Lee and former FAS president Zainudin Nordin - but no charges have been brought in relation to the matter.
The FAS will hold its next election on April 28.
Mr Lim is set to return unopposed for a second four-year term, while his nine-person slate, comprising a president, deputy president, four vice-presidents and three council members, are unchallenged.
The remaining six FAS council members will be elected from eight candidates.
