8 S’pore civil servants under probe over property near future MRT stations

Eight Singaporean civil servants are under investigation by the country's police for purchasing property near sites that were later designated as Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations, according to a recent report. The investigation was prompted by a US research paper that revealed civil servants involved in rail planning were more likely than other buyers to purchase homes in areas that would eventually host MRT stations.

Coordinating Public Services Minister Chan Chun Sing revealed that the government had reviewed the property purchases of 191 public officers who worked in agencies linked to rail planning. These acquisitions were made between 2007 and 2014, as reported by Singapore's Straits Times. Chan stated that the eight cases were selected for further scrutiny due to specific circumstances or incomplete information.

The police will conduct an independent investigation, ensuring that due process is adhered to, despite the referral not necessarily indicating wrongdoing. The review of civil servants' property purchases initially covered the period from 2007 to 2011 but was later extended to include purchases made in 2014 as additional MRT station locations were announced after that year. Chan hinted that more cases might be examined if new information came to light.