Singapore refers 8 public officers to police over property buys near unannounced MRT stations

Centre · 2Eight public service officers have been referred to Singapore police after a review of 191 officers' property transactions, Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing told parliament on Tuesday, 6 October. 1 2 Centre · 2The review followed a working paper by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research, which identified 2007 to 2011 as the period of concern; the Public Service Division (PSD) widened the scope to 2014 as a matter of prudence, because many new MRT station locations were announced after 2011. 1 2 Centre · 1Using administrative records, PSD identified officers in agencies involved in rail planning who bought property between 2007 and 2014 close to locations later announced as MRT stations, and assessed each officer's role, access to non-public information, and the timing and circumstances of the purchase. 2

Centre · 2Of the 191 officers, eight had cases that warranted further examination, and further checks are continuing. Chan said this could be due to the specific circumstances of a purchase, or because there was not enough information to exclude the case from further review. 1 2 Centre · 2Chan stressed that a referral does not mean wrongdoing has been established, that police will look into the facts independently, and that due process will be followed. 1 2 Centre · 2MPs asked whether more safeguards were needed, such as systematic cross-checking and extending declaration requirements to other family members or cohabitants. Chan said the public service regularly reviews and has tightened its rules, that the government will study what the review shows about their effectiveness and any gaps, and that further measures should be proportionate and practical. 2 1

Centre · 1Chan outlined existing rules: since the 1990s officers have had to declare private property purchases and, annually, any non-owner-occupied properties; officers with relevant non-public information must seek approval from their agency head before a transaction; and the rules cover spouses and financially dependent children. Passing non-public information to others for private gain breaches the rules and may be an offence, including under the Official Secrets Act. 2 Centre · 1The paper's authors identified the buyers through the Singapore Government Directory Interactive, a freely accessible online database that was pared down from 1 July to combat scams. Chan said some information on civil servants' roles must stay public and should not be restricted just because it can be linked across sources, while unnecessary personal information will stay protected. 2 Centre · 1Chan said the government had no information on who funded the research and was assessing the paper's claims on their merits, including its methodology, evidence and underlying facts. 2