Recently, a political storm has erupted in Singapore, with several photos showing senior government officials dining and taking photos with Su Haijin, the main suspect in a 3 billion SGD money laundering case, raising public doubts about the government's integrity.
The politicians appearing in the photos include the Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung, the Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, and former Minister for Education and current People's Action Party MP Ng Chee Meng. These photos have been widely circulated on social media, and the exact time of the photos is not clear.
In response, Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat issued a joint statement through their press secretary, emphasizing that they attended the dinner at the invitation of a friend, and Su Haijin "happened to be present" and they did not know Su Haijin, nor had any contact or dealings with him before or after the dinner.
Ng Chee Meng also responded, stating that as the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress, he frequently attends various events and interacting with people from different backgrounds is part of his job. He stated that after learning about Su Haijin's background, he had no further contact with him.
Su Haijin is one of the defendants in the largest money laundering case cracked by Singapore police in 2023, involving an amount of up to 3 billion SGD. He and nine other foreigners were arrested for alleged money laundering and forgery of documents, and were convicted last year and subsequently deported.
This incident has triggered public attention and questioning of the relationship between government officials and the accused. Netizens on social platforms have called for anti-corruption agencies to intervene and investigate to clarify the facts and maintain the government's clean image.
Singapore has long been known for its clean and efficient government. The People's Action Party has been in power since independence, emphasizing integrity and responsibility. However, in recent years, scandals involving senior government officials, including former Minister for Transport S. Iswaran convicted of bribery, and other officials resigning over personal issues, have challenged public trust in the government.
In this context, the incident of ministers taking photos with the main suspect in a money laundering case has undoubtedly intensified public concerns about government integrity. Analysts point out that the government should strengthen supervision of officials' behavior to ensure distance from criminals and maintain public trust in the government.
Currently, there is no evidence to show that these ministers had any improper conduct or interest transfer with Su Haijin. However, the public's attention to the relationship between government officials and the accused reflects the high regard for the government's clean image. The government needs to take proactive measures to respond to public concerns and ensure transparency and integrity in government operations.
