SINGAPORE — Instead of arranging for the daughter-in-law of a former town council general manager to work at his company as requested, company director Chia Sin Lan found her work at another company, but paid for her monthly salary.

However, after getting into an argument with two colleagues a few months later, she eventually ended up working at Chia’s company.

Wong Chee Meng, 58, former general manager of Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC), is accused of taking bribes of more than S$107,000, mostly from Chia, 62, a director of 19-ANC Enterprise and 19-NS2 Enterprise, to advance the business interest of both companies with the town council. Both companies deal with general building, repairs and redecoration works.

The alleged bribes to Wong — also known as Victor — included meals, entertainment at karaoke pubs, spa treatments, and employment for his daughter-in-law, Stella Le Thi Hien.

Taking the stand as a prosecution witness at the ongoing trial on Monday (Nov 12), Chia’s business partner Tay Eng Chuan spoke about the payments made to Ms Le. Mr Tay is a shareholder of 19-NS2, and he maintained the cash flow records for the firm.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jiang Ke-Yue asked about six payment vouchers that were sent to Mr Tay by 4-Ever Engineering from March to August 2016. Forever Engineering was the company where Ms Le first worked.

Mr Tay said that 4-Ever Engineering would prepare the vouchers for her salary every month. They would then send a photo of the voucher to Mr Tay, who would show it to Chia.

Chia would then get Mr Tay to “deduct the voucher” from a handwritten ledger that the pair kept to record expenses. Last week, it emerged that these expenses included sessions at karaoke clubs and stays at budget hotels. 

When DPP Jiang asked Mr Tay why he and Chia were paying for Ms Le's salary, Mr Tay said that the arrangement was made in one of the companies’ offices along Depot Road, when he was with Chia and Ms Alisa Yip Fong Yin. Ms Yip was a project director at 19-ANC, and a director and shareholder of 19-NS2.

“Alisa said Victor’s daughter-in-law wanted to (work at our office). She said Stella cannot work at 19-ANC because it is very obvious and not good,” Mr Tay said in Mandarin through a translator. 

“Chia said he will arrange for her to work at 4-Ever, and 19-NS2 will pay for her internship there. This was done in a few minutes,” he added.

Chia then told Mr Tay to speak to the owner of Forever Engineering and tell him that Ms Le wanted to work there. When the owner said he did not need any workers, Mr Tay told him it was Chia’s idea, and that 19-NS2 would pay for her salary.

Later, Mr Tay would personally give cash for Ms Le’s salary to the owner, or a Ms Goo, who handled the accounts for 4-Ever Engineering.

Mr Tay added that sometime in July 2016, Ms Le started working at 19-ANC. Ms Goo informed him and “many people” through WhatsApp that Ms Le and two colleagues at 4-Ever Engineering had an argument.

“That’s how I knew there was a serious argument, but I don’t know what (the argument) was (about),” he said.

After that, Chia arranged for Wong's daughter-in-law to work at 19-ANC.

DPP Jiang also questioned Mr Tay over S$20,000 that he had remitted to China to a Mr David Gan, Chia’s supplier in China.

Mr Tay said that Chia wanted him to issue a cheque for Wong’s mistress in China, Ms Xu Hongmei, to renovate her house.

“I told (Chia) that doing so would be risky. He said, ‘What are you scared for? This money will be remitted to David Gan and he will settle this in China’,” Mr Tay said.

He added that after he issued the cheque, Chia took him to a money changer in People’s Park Centre to send it to China.

DPP Jiang then asked about some mobile phone bills. During the trial in September, Mr Ng Fook Meng, a foreman who worked for Mr Tay, testified that he had signed up for an iPhone plan and Wong allegedly used the line to make calls to China.

The plan was under Mr Ng’s name, and he paid the monthly bills before claiming the expenses from Mr Tay.

Mr Tay admitted on Monday that it was his idea to put the plan under Mr Ng’s name instead of his own, as he did not want his family members to ask “unnecessary questions” about the bills if they were sent to his home.

The trial continues on Tuesday.