Coffeeshop owner jailed for trying to bribe inspection officer with cigarettes

A coffeeshop operator was jailed three weeks in the State Courts on Tuesday (13 March) for attempting to bribe an inspection officer with cigarettes.

Lam Kim Heng, 68, who runs Heng Heng Eating House, had approached Mohd Dzulkarnain Hussein, an inspection officer with CPG Facilities Management, on 14 October 2017 when the latter was checking the coffeeshop for any violation of HDB rules. CPG is HDB’s appointed agent to carry out such inspections.

Lam extended his arm with a packet of cigarettes in his hand and told Dzulkarnain to inform him in advance of future inspections. Dzulkarnain rejected the offer and the matter was then reported to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.

Any person who is convicted of corruption can be fined up to $100,000 or jailed up to five years or to both.