Property officer asked for $3,700 in bribes to approve town council works

A FORMER senior property officer who obtained bribes in order not to find fault with improvement works carried out for Marine Parade Town Council was jailed for six weeks yesterday.

Mohd Nor Atan, 50, had pleaded guilty to two of five bribery charges.

He was also ordered to pay a penalty of $3,700 – this being the total amount he received in 2009 and last year.

A district court heard that Nor was employed by the town council’s managing agent, Emasco Township Management, when he asked Seah & Lim Construction’s (S&L) project manager Law Boon Guan for a $1,000 “red packet” for the upcoming Hari Raya in 2009.

Mr Law, whose company was contracted to perform works on 17 blocks in the Chai Chee and Bedok North areas, understood that Nor was trying to ask for a bribe.

After discussing the matter with his boss, both decided to pay Nor the money as they feared that he might find fault with S&L’s painting works.

At the time, Nor had rejected several proposed colour schemes put up by the company, causing a delay in painting works by about two months.

Shortly after the money was handed over, Nor approved the colour scheme for the relevant works.

In June last year, he approached S&L’s subcontractor Tan Peng Ho for a $1,000 “loan” to repair his car.

Mr Tan understood that Nor was asking for a bribe and that he had no intention of repaying the loan.

He told Nor that he would lend him the money after receiving payment from S&L, which he did. To date, the “loan” has not been paid back.

Nor could have been fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed for up to seven years on each charge.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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