Friday, April 07, 2017

TOTD: Are We Too Lenient to People Who Misappropriate Public Funds?

While Kong Hee has expressed "disappointment" over his conviction, many more Singaporeans were disappointed or even angry that he and his gang get their sentences halved!

Apparently the sentences meted out by the judges in reduction of their sentences by half, are totally out of expectation and out of sync with public sentiments.

While we expect the court to be independent from "populist" sentiments as well as any other interference but to have a judgement which is totally in reverse of public expectation would create a lot of unnecessary speculations and distrust of our judiciary.

It is of utmost important for the court to publicize and lay out the basis of their judgement and try to convince the public as well as the legal profession that their judgement is right with legal basis in granting a slash of half the initial jail terms meted out by the High Court. It is an important case which may have dire consequences for future similar cases as a precedence.

In contrast to the previous cases of Mingyi monk who was sentenced to jail of 10 months which was reduced to 6 months later for a the $50K illegal loan a close aide along with forgery of documents as well as TT Durai NKF case which he was sentenced to 3 months jail term for forging invoices, this case involves millions and far more complex financial arrangement. in channeling funds to benefit the spouse's singing career, an immediate family member, of Kong Hee. These three cases would become important case study for the law school and the legal argument should be properly set out.

Although in the CHC case, the sentences are seemingly relatively more severe than the previous two cases, but it begs the question of whether our court or legal system is just too lenient to people who misappropriate public funds.

Misappropriation of public funds as compared to private funds should be of more serious consequences as it involves public trust in public institutions. However, these three cases have somehow gave the public the impression or mis-perception that misappropriation of public funds is of lesser consequences to those found guilty of CBT in private companies.

As the saying goes, Justice needs to be done and seen to be done as well. The disparity between public expectation and the sentences meted out by our court may not be a good sign for Singapore and it needs to be resolved asap.

Goh Meng Seng

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

The disparity between public expectation and the sentences meted out by our court may not be a good sign for Singapore and it needs to be resolved asap.
Goh Meng Seng

The disparity between % votes and seats won by PAP and by the opposition every election as decided by the voters may not be a good sign for Singapore and it needs to be resolved asap.

For instance in CCK GRC in GE 2015, the disparity in % votes was as great as 23.1 % for the opposition led by Goh Meng Seng and 76.9% for PAP. And this was not a good sign not only for Singapore but also for the opposition, and more so for a veteran and credible opposition leader like Goh Meng Seng.

Anonymous said...

...and more so for a veteran and credible opposition leader like Goh Meng Seng.
11:58 PM

So can Goh Meng Seng resolve this asap?

If he cannot, let alone asap, resolve on a matter which directly concern him and within his control, how then can he expect the disparity between public expectation and the sentences meted out by our court, and which is something beyond the control of him and many others, to be resolved asap?

Anonymous said...

There is a patient because of heart cancer, need to carry out heart surgery, it must be to buy a heart.
Doctor: We have a lot of supply options, of course, the price is different.
Patient: what heart?
Doctor: Judge’s heart one million
The lawyer's heart is two million
Pastor’s heart fifty million

Patient: Why is the pastors heart so expensive?
Doctor: Because not every pastor has a heart.

Anonymous said...

Hello Goh Meng Seng,

I am interested to join PPP to help make it stronger.

May I know where is your party office so that I can go and collect the application form? Don't tell me it is still c/o TKL's office?

Anonymous said...

Don't tell me it is still c/o TKL's office?
6:55 PM

Yes, just google People's Power Party and it shows 02-107, 24 Sin Ming Ln, 573970, which if I am not mistaken is TKL's office.

Seems like since Sep 2015, PPP don't need a new or bigger office of its own. Very sad because PAP will have no formidable opposition party to fight against in elections. How to be formidable without even a proper office to call their own?

Anonymous said...

Google Tan Jee Say's Singaporean First Party (SFP) and you will find: 36 Frankel Ave, 458167, which if I am not mistaken is Tan Jee Say's own house. Lagi better than PPP because it is their own premises.

Only the WP, SDP, NSP and SPP seem to have proper offices of their own.

And google the Reform Party does not even show an address! OMG! No wonder they performed even worse than SFP and PPP, and which was already bad, in GE 2015.

Anonymous said...

Would the whole scenario be completely different if it was the regime's money?

Anonymous said...

Which man would physically, mentally and financially support their wife to expose herself so much a slut ? Don't think we know of any. More so a pastor.

Anonymous said...

Maids has the best protection in this countree.

Anonymous said...

One can charged a few thousand dollars for car repair when it might only cost nothing and get away scot free.

One cheated a few hundred dollars for Ed Shereen tickets concerts and get a few weeks jail.

Anonymous said...

Lawyers are able to charged a million dollars for the services and can easily go down to half price. To even a lay person it could mean that in the first place the charges are only half a million.
Going in to watch a concert free sent to jail for a few weeks.
I fear for my family in this country though they are not there with NKOREA yet

Anonymous said...

Could it be the one million lawyer is their own people and those sneaks to watch a free concert are not their own people? Anti-foreign?

Anonymous said...

Irrespective of any verdict, for them its just another day another dollar.

Anonymous said...

Another example of a sick society created-and that's caused by a decision by only some people.

Anonymous said...

This Ed Sharin case is peanuts in comparison to the big-linked-companies today?

Anonymous said...

People get drunk either because they are celebrating a happy occasion or drowning their sorrows they get carried away. People lose their senses and are momently out of it. If the SPF knows their job, they should put these people in a lock-up till they become sober and release them when it is safe to do so. It should be part of their job to make sure drunkards and public are safe. Not just wait for these people to commit some illegality and get them to prison. I have been drunk before and the next morning I couldn't remember what happened the previous night. Otherwise come up with a law that one is only allowed to buy a certain amount of alcohol. There are more to do for the people other than sit in front of a computer to solve problems.

Anonymous said...

Government agencies like the easy routine. Anything out of the ordinary is too much work for them. No inspirations. I know you know we all know.

Anonymous said...

City Harvest money did not belong to them?

SINGAPORE: A 58-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to 50 months’ jail and fined S$11 million for dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes, the Singapore Customs said in a press release on Tuesday (Feb 27).
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singaporean-11-million-fine-50-months-jail-contraband-cigarette-9995102

Screw their money?

Anonymous said...

20-year-old who sexually assaulted young girls gets- 16 years’ jail, 15 strokes of the cane
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/20-year-old-sexually-assaulted-young-girls-16-years-jail-


15 years' jail -for maid who killed elderly employer by stabbing her in the throat.


Who should get longer jail sentence?