8 public officers referred to police over property buys near future MRT stations
[SINGAPORE] Eight public officers have been referred to the police following a government review of property purchases near locations subsequently announced as...
Eight public officials have been referred to the police following a government investigation into property acquisitions near areas later designated as MRT stations, Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing announced in Parliament on October 6. Among the eight were 191 officers whose property transactions were examined by the Public Service Division (PSD), with additional investigations still in progress.
The PSD's review was prompted by a study by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) that found a statistical link between public servants working on rail planning and the purchase of properties close to MRT stations before their locations were publicly disclosed. Chan clarified that a referral to the police does not imply guilt, stating that the police will independently investigate the facts and follow proper procedures.
The PSD extended its review to 2014 to ensure comprehensive scrutiny, as new MRT stations continued to be announced beyond 2011. The review focused on property purchases made by public servants involved in rail planning between 2007 and 2014 near locations that later became MRT stations, as identified through government records.
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