Grassroots leader who constructed illegal floor also sponsored production costs of PAP MP’s book

Earlier this month, an illegal extra floor was found at The Alexcier building in Alexandra Road that was only supposed to have eight floors.

On Sunday (17 Mar), the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) confirmed that the ninth floor was constructed illegally. The BCA and URA said in a joint statement:

“The extensive unauthorised floor is a blatant breach of the regulations. Such contraventions will not be tolerated. The additional floor area is not allowed as it exceeds the maximum permissible intensity under the URA’s Master Plan.”

By illegally building the extra floor on top of the industrial building, the owners also dodged paying a development charge costing over S$1 million dollars to the authorities, if they had approved the additional level.

Over the weekend, the Straits Times reported that the unit is owned by ZACD Investments. ZACD Investments is co-founded by Stanley Yeo and his wife Kain Sim. Stanley Yeo is a grassroots leader who chairs the Tampines North Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

The People’s Association – a statutory board under the Prime Minister’s Office that oversees neighbourhood grassroots communities – told the media that Yeo has taken leave from his grassroots position and will be away for three months.

The PA promised that it will take “appropriate action” against Yeo, who was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2015, once the case concludes.

The media also sought a comment from Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng on the case but the ruling party politician declined to comment.

Interestingly, Yeo was the same person who sponsored the production costs of Baey’s book two years ago. In May 2017, Baey confirmed that his book – entitled “From the Horse’s Mouth” – was sponsored by “Mr Stanley Yeo, PBM”.

One month later, in June 2017, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat officially launched Baey’s book. In a Facebook post after the book launch, Baey wrote:

“Really excited that my new book was launched last night. Grateful to Minister Heng Swee Keat for giving me the honour, and my guest speakers Ser Luck, Wai See, Johnny and Weisong for making the programme so special.”