Former MP charged with corruption
Former Member of Parliament (MP) Choo Wee Khiang was charged in court on Thursday for corruptly accepting gratification and criminal breach of trust as a servant.
Choo was Singapore Table Tennis Association's (STTA) president at the time of the alleged offences.
The Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said it received several anonymous complaints against Choo between 2005 and 2007.
The complaints alleged that Choo had charged his personal airfares, expenses, phone bills to the association and received gifts from Chinese coaches and players.
CPIB launched an investigation which allegedly revealed that in 2005 Choo had received $1,500 from then national player Liu Zhongze through Luo Jie, who was an assistant coach of STTA, in return for giving Liu more opportunities to represent STTA in tournaments.
Investigations also allegedly revealed that between 2003 and 2004, Choo received US$600 (S$772) twice from Shi Mei Sheng, who was then coaching at STTA, as a reward to Choo for approving the use of two different training facilities in China.
Koh Li Ping, a former High Performance Manager at STTA, was also charged in court on Thursday.
Between 2002 and 2003, Luo provided training to secondary school students despite his work permit allowing him to only work for STTA. As a result, the school was unable to pay him for the training provided, which amounted to a sum of $8,400.
Luo informed Choo and Koh of the matter and arranged with the principal of the school to engage STTA in a new training arrangement with the intention to use the proceeds for Luo's fees.
Subsequently, when STTA received the payment from the school, Koh obtained approval from Choo to authorise a payment of $8,400 to Luo even though the latter did not provide any training services under the new arrangement.
Koh Li Ping was charged for one count of engaging with Choo Wee Khiang in a conspiracy to commit criminal breach of trust as a servant.
In response to these charges, MP and current president Lee Bee Wah said, "Since becoming president in July 2008, I have put in place the proper systems and procedures, especially when it comes to governance."
"We will not be complacent and we will constantly review and improve on our procedures," she added.
