Indian-origin man jailed for corruption in Singapore

A Singapore court today sentenced an Indian-origin man to a month in jail and also fined him SGD 650 for receiving bribes to overlook vital procedures while working as a safety supervisor in 2007.
Sinnathuray P. Shumanagam, 50, pleaded guilty to the charges which involved receiving SGD 250 in exchange for issuing a permit to a subcontractor to hoist a container from a lorry without a proper lifting supervisor and rigging crew in 2007.
He also admitted to getting a SGD 300 in a "red packet", a Chinese way of receiving monetary gifts in a red envelope, from another subcontractor for allowing the latter's workers to carry out welding works without going through a safety induction course.

Shumanagam was at the time working for Bovis Lend Lease Pharmaceutical, the main contractor involved in two projects for the building of a pharmaceutical and biological plant in the industrial zone located in western Singapore, the Strait Times reported.
The court also directed Shumanagam to pay Singapore Dollars 650 (USD 523) as fine.
The court heard that Shumanagam told the subcontractor's supervisor that he could help him by issuing a lifting certificate if he was paid SGD 250 in the absence of certified lifting supervisor and signal crew.