8 Singapore civil servants under probe over property near future MRT stations

The cases emerged from a review of 191 officers who bought properties near sites later announced as MRT stations.

A US research paper found that civil servants involved in rail planning appeared more likely than other buyers to purchase homes near yet to be announced future railway stations.

PETALING JAYA:

Eight civil servants in Singapore are being investigated by the city-state’s police over their purchase of property near sites later announced as MRT stations.

Coordinating public services minister Chan Chun Sing said the government recently reviewed the property purchases of 191 public officers who worked in government agencies linked to rail planning.

The officers bought the properties between 2007 and 2014, Singapore’s Straits Times reported.

Chan said the eight cases needed a closer look due to the circumstances of the purchases or gaps in available information.

“Let me emphasise that a referral does not mean that wrongdoing has been established. The police will look into the facts independently, and due process will be followed,” he added.

The review followed a US research paper which found that Singapore civil servants involved in rail planning appeared more likely than other buyers to purchase homes near yet to be announced future railway stations.

The paper, published by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research last month, said its findings pointed to the possible use of information that was not yet available to the public.

Singapore’s public service division initially reviewed purchases made between 2007 and 2011, but later extended the period to 2014 as more MRT station locations were announced after 2011.

Chan said more cases could be examined if new information emerged. - FMT