SINGAPORE: A 69-year-old former employee of Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC) pleaded guilty in court to three counts of cheating on Tuesday (Jan 28). His offences involved sums that totalled almost $100,000. When he returns for sentencing on Feb 18, three other charges will be taken into consideration.
According to a report in The Straits Times, Leong Siew Pui had begun working for SIAEC in 1978.
However, the idea to work as an external contractor who would provide maintenance and repair services for SIAEC after his retirement came about as early as 2009 when he talked to Alex Tan Han Wen, the owner of a company called Aittix Engineering, with whom he was acquainted.
He asked Mr Tan if he could use his firm to bid for contracts in SIAEC’s open tender. CNA reported that Mr Tan agreed to this as he felt that taking on SIAEC as a client would be good for Aittix’s reputation.
Leong, however, never had a position at Aittix, and he did not disclose to SIAEC that he had an arrangement with the owner of Aittix to submit bids. Between 2014 and 2017, Aittix was awarded a number of contracts by SIAEC.
During that time, Aittix submitted 43 invoices for maintenance and repair works to SIAEC, with all but two of the work done by Leong himself on his days off or after his working hours. For two of the invoices for repairing sound absorbing panels, no work was done at all, though Leong said he intended to get the job done later on.
ST quoted Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua as saying that Leong “felt that he was better placed to perform maintenance and repair services for SIAEC than external contractors.”
Leong has made restitution of $38,984 for the two invoices of work he never accomplished, and his profit of $63,737 from his arrangement with Aittix has been surrendered to the police.
In early 2019, the police received a tip concerning a possible fraud case at SIAEC, and by 2023, Leong was formally charged.
DPP Chua is seeking a jail sentence for Leong of nine to 11 months. Leong’s lawyer, Gino Hardial Singh, however, is asking for a five-month jail sentence, arguing that his client has shown remorse and made restitution. He added that Leong is now supporting himself as a Grab driver and by doing odd jobs.
But DPP Chua pointed out that Leong’s offences had been premeditated and took place over a lengthy period, adding, “While there is no evidence that the works done by the accused were defective or unsatisfactory, the accused made a wrongful gain in the form of secret profits.” /TISG
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