Surbana Jurong refutes claims of profiteering and corruption over Covid-19 project at S’pore Expo

SINGAPORE — Surbana Jurong has refuted allegations that it engaged in profiteering and corruption during its involvement in setting up facilities for Covid-19 patients at Singapore Expo Convention & Exhibition Centre.

In a statement on Tuesday (May 19), the infrastructure consultancy said that its “involvement in Singapore Expo has been most unfairly subjected to unfounded accusations of profiteering and corruption in some social media posts”.

 “These allegations are not only untrue, they are disrespectful of our colleagues who have made enormous sacrifices, including putting their health at risk, to deliver the projects under challenging conditions, for the benefit of our community.”

The firm added: “We absolutely refute the allegations and will not hesitate to take legal action against any perpetrator who continues to make scurrilous attacks against our company.”

Surbana Jurong did not specify what social media posts it was referring to. TODAY has reached out to the company.

The firm said in its statement that it has received many messages of support and thanks from members of the public, “which are most encouraging to our people”.

It also outlined how it has been providing technical services in the past two months to various government agencies involved in the setting up and running of community care facilities in Singapore.

It said that it was tasked in March with identifying and studying potential locations for community isolation facilities, which house patients with early symptoms of Covid-19 and those recovering from it. It chose Singapore Expo for its mechanical and electrical infrastructure and extensive indoor space, it said.

In April, the consultancy converted two exhibition halls within three days into facilities with a combined 950 cubicles, each of which had a bed, cabinet, chair, desk lamp and charging points for electrical devices.

It said that its team of 50, including healthcare planners, architects, mechanical and electrical engineers, project managers and procurement staff members, had set up 8,000 beds in all 10 of Singapore Expo’s halls within four weeks.

Surbana Jurong partnered with Woodlands Health Campus, which manages the medical team at Singapore Expo, private healthcare provider Parkway Pantai, event and exhibition organiser SingEx, port operator PSA, and Resorts World Sentosa, among other companies, to achieve this project.

The firm added that it had been brought in for the project by its shareholder Temasek to aid with the urgent need to develop these facilities. State investment firm Temasek Holdings fully owns both Surbana Jurong and Singapore Expo.

“In service of the community, we will continue to provide our expertise to projects related to managing the Covid-19 crisis on a cost-recovery basis,” Surbana Jurong said. “(We remain) focused on supporting Singapore’s efforts to contain Covid-19, and demonstrating the nation’s resolve to helping those affected by the pandemic.”