Born in 1934, Phey Yew Kok worked to support himself through school. Educated in the Chinese stream before switching to an English-stream secondary school, he was proficient in Mandarin, which helped him rise through the ranks as a unionist.

He was an accounts clerk with Malaysia-Singapore Airlines before he joined the Singapore Air Transport Union. Elected a member in 1960, he became treasurer before he rose to the post of president in 1968.

In 1970, he was appointed president of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). That same year, he was also elected general secretary of the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation (SILO) and general secretary of the Pioneer Industries Employees’ Union (PIEU).

He became NTUC chairman on May 25, 1979.

In 1972, he contested the General Election under the People’s Action Party banner and was elected Member of Parliament for Boon Teck constituency.

In 1979, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigated Phey for malpractices in the PIEU and SILO. In December that year, he was arrested and charged. He was released on bail of about S$100,000 with two sureties. A hearing was fixed for Jan 7, 1980, but Phey never showed up.

Investigations later revealed that Phey had left Singapore for Kuala Lumpur by train on Dec 31, 1979, and proceeded to Bangkok where he disappeared, leaving behind a wife and three children.

Besides Phey, 10 others were charged for their involvement in the offences. Nine were convicted, while one was acquitted.

Pleaded guilty to 12 charges, with another 22 charges taken into consideration during sentencing:

Eight counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) as a servant, amounting to S$152,987.25

One count of CBT with common intention, amounting to S$81,686.72

One count of CBT, amounting to S$9,203.63

One count of abetting the fabrication of false evidence to a public servant

One count of failing to attend court when ordered to by a judicial officer