Suspended SEC executive director quizzed for two hours in inquiry

SINGAPORE — Singapore Environment Council (SEC) executive director Edwin Seah, who was suspended from duty last month, attended an inquiry lasting nearly two hours at his office yesterday, but both sides were tight-lipped after the meeting.

An SEC spokesperson would only say they had a “good discussion ... and (they) took the opportunity to clarify certain points with him (Mr Seah)”, adding that the non-governmental organisation would discuss the next steps with its board.

Mr Seah, 46, left after the talks ended, declining to comment.

TODAY understands that Mr Seah’s suspension had to do with how he had planned proceedings at the Asian Environmental Journalism Awards, a yearly SEC affair held a day before he was pulled off duties on Oct 13.

Another issue was whether he was behind an anonymous email sent in February to local newsrooms alleging a conflict of interest involving SEC chairman Isabella Loh and projects she worked on. The SEC had dismissed the allegation after a review.

When asked, SEC would neither confirm nor deny if these had to do with Mr Seah’s suspension.

Previously, Mr Seah said he had not been told of the reasons for the suspension, which he described had “come out of the blue”.

Yesterday’s inquiry was presided over by a panel of three SEC board members, including Member of Parliament and Mayor of North West District Teo Ho Pin, National Environment Agency director Dalson Chung, and SEC executive committee chairman Lam Joon Khoi.

Mr Seah received applause and cheers from SEC staff when he was the first to arrive for the meeting, which was postponed from Oct 19.

Mr Seah joined the SEC in October 2014 as director of communications, and was appointed executive director in April last year.

He previously told TODAY that the number of projects SEC undertook has grown over the years. During the haze last year, SEC suspended the use of its Green Label on Asian Pulp and Paper Group’s products, while some supermarket chains also stopped selling paper products sourced from the group.

Mr Seah also said that under his lead, the SEC enhanced its financial position and lowered employee turnover rate. The father-of-two has 19 years of experience in the public and private sector, including the Energy Market Authority and the Singapore Tourism Board. FARIS MOKHTAR