Ex-NTUC chairman faces 34 charges in court

SINGAPORE - Another 28 charges have been brought against former National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) chairman Phey Yew Kok, who surrendered himself at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok on Jun 22 after 35 years on the run, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement today.

This brings the total number of charges faced by the former PAP MP to 34, which include the four counts of Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT) and two counts under the Trade Unions Act that were first tendered against him 36 years ago, on Dec 10, 1979.

The 34 charges against Phey are: 21 counts of CBT as a servant, four counts of CBT with common intention, three counts of CBT, two counts of investing funds without the approval of the Minister, two counts of abetting the provision of false information to a public servant, one count of abetting the fabrication of false evidence and one count of failing to attend before a court of justice in obedience to an order.

Most of the new charges are related to CBT, and no bail was offered to Phey, who was represented by Sant Singh SC from Tan Rajah & Cheah, reported Channel NewsAsia.

According to previous reports, Phey was charged with misusing more than $100,000 of union funds and investing union money in a private supermarket without approval.

He susbsequntly absconded from Singapore on Jan 7, 1980 after failing to show up in court.

A warrant was obtained for his arrest and his passports were cancelled, but he managed to leave Singapore by train for Kuala Lumpur and the Bangkok, where the CPIB lost his trail.

The former unionist surrendered himself at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok on Jun 22 this year, and was escorted back to Singapore the following day.

If found guilty of CBT, Phey faces up to seven years in prison, along with a fine.

Phey had been general secretary of multiple trade unions, and was also PAP MP for the Boon Teck constituency between 1972 and 1979.

seanyap@sph.com.sg