What were the findings of the CPIB probe into Ridout Road rentals?

Question

Accepted Answer

CPIB Probe Clears Ministers of Wrongdoing in Ridout Road Rentals

Investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) into the rental of two black and white colonial bungalows at Ridout Road by Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan have concluded that both ministers were cleared of all wrongdoing, abuse of power, or conflict of interest. The reviews determined that the rental transactions adhered to government guidelines and that neither minister received any unfair advantage or privileges. The Attorney-General’s Chambers concurred with the CPIB's findings, leading to the closure of the investigation with no further action to be taken.
Rental of 26 Ridout Road by K Shanmugam

The property at 26 Ridout Road had been vacant since December 2013. Minister Shanmugam, through his appointed property agent, negotiated the lease and subsequently bore the ongoing costs of maintaining an additional cleared land area, amounting to approximately S$25,000 annually. Furthermore, he personally financed a car porch at a cost of over S$61,400 and invested more than S$400,000 in other improvement works to the state property. The rental agreed upon was S$26,500 per month, which met the minimum rental benchmark set by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).
Rental of 31 Ridout Road by Vivian Balakrishnan

Similarly, the bungalow at 31 Ridout Road had remained vacant since July 2013. Minister Balakrishnan's spouse initiated contact and negotiated the rental terms. He subsequently invested over S$200,000 in additional improvement works to enhance the property. The initial monthly rental for 31 Ridout Road was S$19,000, which was later adjusted to S$20,000 per month for the subsequent lease term, reflecting prevailing market conditions.
Lack of Precision in SLA's Guide Rent Assessment

While clearing the ministers, the CPIB review did identify a lack of precision in the SLA's application of the term "guide rent" concerning Minister Shanmugam's rental. Despite this imprecision, the bureau confirmed that the final rental amount paid by Minister Shanmugam was not less than the minimum required by the SLA. The CPIB found no evidence of ill intent or mala fide abuse of position by any SLA officers involved in the valuation process.
No Preferential Treatment or Unfair Advantage

Both reviews concluded that the rental transactions for both 26 and 31 Ridout Road were conducted in line with established government procedures. There was no indication of preferential treatment being extended to either minister during the rental process. The outcome of the investigations affirmed that the ministers did not leverage their positions to gain any undue advantage or privileges in securing these tenancies.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What were the findings of the CPIB probe into Ridout Road rentals?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends