Niece, ex-tour guide may lose powers

SINGAPORE - The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) applied to the court yesterday to temporarily suspend the powers of both the niece of the multi-millionaire widow who was allegedly manipulated into handing control of her assets to a former tour guide from China, and the latter.

This was revealed in a press statement sent last night by Daniel Zhu from Straits Law Practice, lawyer of former tour guide Yang Yin.

The application will be heard on Friday.

If it is approved, neither Mr Yang nor Madam Hedy Mok, the niece of 87-year-old Madam Chung Khin Chun, can represent the widow.

This will allow Madam Chung to be independently assessed by a medical expert to be appointed by the court.

The check will determine whether she has the mental capacity to revoke the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) she gave to Mr Yang in 2012, which in effect allowed him to control her assets, estimated to be worth $40 million.

Madam Mok, 60, a travel agency owner, was appointed on Aug 1 as her aunt's deputy for the purposes of commencing legal proceedings on her behalf under the Mental Capacity Act.

Earlier last week, the OPG revealed that it had lodged a report against Mr Yang after it emerged that he had boasted about his wealth and lavish lifestyle online.

The report was made on Sept 17, the day he was arrested for suspected criminal breach of trust.

Last week, the wealthy widow asked the OPG to cancel the LPA she had given Mr Yang in 2012.

The move came after a psychiatrist who examined her found that she has the mental capacity to revoke the LPA, despite suffering from dementia.

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

tohyc@sph.com.sg

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