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FAS scandal: Four, including Bill Ng and Zainudin, arrested and out on police bail

SINGAPORE — Former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin, FAS general secretary Winston Lee, Hougang United chairman Bill Ng and his wife Bonnie Wong, were arrested and are currently out on police bail, TODAY understands.

Bill Ng, Zainudin Nordin, Winston Lee. Photos: Hougang United Facebook page, TODAY

Bill Ng, Zainudin Nordin, Winston Lee. Photos: Hougang United Facebook page, TODAY

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SINGAPORE — Former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin, FAS general secretary Winston Lee, Hougang United chairman Bill Ng and his wife Bonnie Wong, were arrested and are currently out on police bail, TODAY understands. 

The four individuals are assisting the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) with the probe into the suspected misuse of funds at Tiong Bahru Football Club (TBFC), which Mr Ng owns, and an attempt by a senior club official — believed to be Mr Ng — to obstruct the completion of audits of the S.League’s sit-out clubs.

Mr Ng’s lawyer, Mr Shashi Nathan of Withers KhattarWong, confirmed last Friday that the 57-year-old businessman is assisting police with their inquiries. The Straits Times also reported on Tuesday (April 25) that the bail for Mr Ng had been set at S$100,000.

Lawyers and legal experts TODAY spoke to confirmed on Tuesday that arrests have to be made in order for bail to be offered to any individual. Police bail in any case is security or a guarantee to ensure that the individual returns for further investigations. 

Criminal lawyer Sunil Sudheesan of Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC said on Tuesday: “When any person is arrested or detained without warrant by a police officer or is brought before court, and he is prepared to give bail, and if it’s a bailable offence, bail must be offered.

“This is not a case where they are brought before court … my understanding is they weren’t detained without warrant, so by process of elimination, bail is only offered if they are arrested.” The State Courts of Singapore also says on its website: “An accused may be offered police bail after his arrest and before he is charged in court.”

Lawyers TODAY consulted also said that a high amount of bail — in Mr Ng’s case of a reported S$100,000 — typically reflects the nature of the potential offence. The drama that has rocked the local sports fraternity began almost two weeks ago, when Mr Ng revealed at a press conference for Team Game Changers — the team led by him for the inaugural FAS elections — that he had donated S$500,000 to the FAS. 

The money went to the Asean Football Federation’s Football Management System via the FAS.

That then escalated into a public spat between Mr Ng and Mr Lee, with the former insisting that it was Mr Lee and not Mr Zainudin who had requested for the donation. Mr Lee then produced documents proving that it was Mr Ng and Mr Zainudin who had corresponded over the donation.

A police report lodged by Sport Singapore (SportSG) subsequently saw a raid at the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar Stadium, and three football clubs linked to Mr Ng: Hougang United, TBFC, and Woodlands Wellington. 

Mr Ng, Mr Wong, Mr Lee and Mr Zainudin were subsequently questioned by the CAD, and all four are currently out on bail. 

Even as the saga continues to develop, the FAS remains on course for a landmark election this Saturday, which will see 44 affiliates coming together to vote for the sport’s leaders. 

Led by Mr Ng, Team Game Changers are up against Team LKT helmed by former FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong, in the fight for the mandate to lead the sport for the next four years. 

When asked by TODAY whether Mr Ng’s arrest would affect his ability to take part in the elections, Mr K Bala Chandran, chairman of the FAS Ad Hoc Electoral Committee said: “There is no change in the position of the Electoral Committee at this stage on the eligibility of Mr Ng.”

Mr Albert Ng, chairman of Kembangan United FC, believes that the election should proceed. “If it’s postponed, it will leave Singapore football in limbo, and all the clubs and affiliates will suffer for a period of time,” he said. 

“Government funding might be affected, and the ecosystem — from clubs, coaches and players — will suffer. Especially now, when there’s so much uncertainty about the FAS, we need a stable council to come in and solve the issues plaguing Singapore football as soon as possible.”

Others called for a postponement of the polls, as an S.League official who declined to be named said: “For all the affiliates to vote properly and make a sound decision, we should first have to know all the facts. This (incident) may cast a certain impression on the voters even before anything is proven, and this may not be fair to Bill, because nobody knows yet whether he’s guilty or innocent.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NOAH TAN

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