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SINGAPORE – A National Environment Agency (NEA) officer who handled burial operations was charged in court on Nov 10 with allegedly obtaining about $21,000 in bribes from 10 people.<\/p>\n
These individuals\u2019 companies provide funeral-related services or cemetery-related works, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in a press release.<\/p>\n
Abdul Salam Jahabar Sadiq, 47, was handed 10 charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Two were amalgamated\u00a0charges, where multiple alleged incidents are taken together in a single offence.<\/p>\n
CPIB said Salam, a Singapore permanent resident, was a verification officer in the burial operations section at NEA.<\/p>\n
Charge sheets state that Salam allegedly obtained the bribes, in the form of loans, between 2022 and 2023 from the owners of several companies.<\/p>\n
These companies are Mohamed Kubur Services, Kim Zhu Stone Carving Trading, Jasabudi Muslim Casket Services and Marble Contractor, Md Akbar International Islamic Casket, Saith Services, Lian Hock Construction, Urusan Jenazah Ma\u2019al Hijrah & Marble Contractor, and Qalifah Services.<\/p>\n
He also purportedly took bribes from an administrative staff member of Takdir I.S.L.A.M.I.C. Services and freelance funeral service provider Muhammad Hafiz Mohamed Nasir.<\/p>\n
The bribes were an inducement for Salam to refrain from reporting any malpractices committed by the 10 individuals, added CPIB.<\/p>\n
The bureau said the case was referred to them by NEA.<\/p>\n
Disputing the charges in court, Salam said he was not provided with an interpreter when making a statement to CPIB. He said he told the bureau that he had taken only loans.<\/p>\n
The Indian national also asked for permission to return to India in November to participate in prayers for his mother\u2019s death anniversary.<\/p>\n
Salam will return to court on Nov 13 regarding his application to leave the country.<\/p>\n
CPIB did not mention if the 10 individuals involved in Salam\u2019s case will be facing charges.<\/p>\n
It added that Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, and that it looks into all corruption-related reports, including anonymous ones.<\/p>\n
For each charge, Salam, if convicted, faces a fine of up to $100,000, or a jail term of up to five years, or both. For amalgamated charges, he faces twice the amount of punishment liable for that offence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n