Govt reviewing 2007 to 2011 property purchase records of rail planning officers to assess misconduct alleged in study

The Singapore government is conducting a review of property purchases made between 2007 and 2011 by civil servants involved in rail planning, in response to allegations of misconduct detailed in a recent study. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) published a working paper in September 2026, suggesting a pattern of mid-level Singaporean government employees purchasing homes near yet-to-be announced Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations.

The Singapore Public Service Division (PSD), part of the Prime Minister's Office, announced the review on September 25, acknowledging the study's serious assertions and expressing concern over the statistical patterns reported. However, the PSD clarified that mere statistical patterns do not establish fault or prove any individual's use of non-public information to influence property purchases.

The PSD emphasized that officers may have bought property for reasons unrelated to non-public information, and that each transaction must be examined carefully to determine if misconduct occurred. If evidence of misuse of non-public information is found, the case will be referred to the Police for further investigation. The NBER paper, titled "Do Social Norms Substitute For Enforcement?

Evidence from Public Officials' Home Purchases in Singapore," was authored by researchers from Stanford University, Columbia University, and the University of Hong Kong. The study aimed to determine if anti-corruption social norms can deter misconduct without formal enforcement, and the authors found a statistical pattern suggesting that civil servants were more likely to purchase properties near unannounced MRT stations compared to non-civil servants.