Man gets a year in jail over conspiracy to give at least $127k in bribes to then director at zoo

SINGAPORE — The sole proprietor of a construction company engaged in a conspiracy to give the facilities management director at the Singapore Zoological Gardens at least $127,000 in bribes.

Lim Thiam Poh’s firm, known as Thiam Lee Tradings Construction, was then awarded contracts worth nearly $2.4 million.

On Aug 5, he was sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to five graft charges involving at least $59,000.

Ten other similar charges linked to the remaining amount were considered during sentencing.

Lim had engaged in a conspiracy to give the bribes to Barry Chong Peng Wee between February 2014 and June 2015.

Chong, 59, who is no longer working for the zoo, was sentenced to six years’ jail in April 2025.

Their accomplice, Too Say Kiong, 60, was sentenced to two years and two months’ jail in October 2023.

At the time of the offences, the Singapore Zoological Gardens was a subsidiary of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), now known as the Mandai Wildlife Group.

The Singapore Zoological Gardens is now known as the Singapore Zoo.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Hairul Hakkim told the court Too was a foreman of a company called Shin Yong Construction (SYC), which had contracts with WRS.

He had joined it in 1990 before leaving in mid-2015.

Meanwhile, Thiam Lee was SYC’s subcontractor between 2008 and 2014.

Lim was still a subcontractor of SYC in January 2024 when Too told him if he wanted to get jobs directly from WRS, he had to give Chong “commission” of up to 20 per cent of Lim’s profit.

Lim also had to give “referral fees” to Too for every job from WRS that was awarded directly to Thiam Lee.

Lim then agreed with the plan, the court heard.

Following this arrangement, WRS began awarding jobs directly to Thiam Lee as its main contractor.

Lim then periodically delivered envelopes to Too containing both the commissions for Chong and referral fees for Too.

The purpose of such commissions to Chong was for WRS to award more jobs to Thiam Lee instead of to other contractors.

The DPP said Lim would only give commissions to Chong and referral fees to Too if Thiam Lee’s net profit exceeded $20,000.

Court documents did not disclose how the offences came to light, but all three men were later charged in 2021.

On Aug 5, the prosecutor urged the court to sentence Lim to up to a year, three months and six weeks’ jail, stressing he was motivated by greed.

He added: “WRS suffered loss as it was unable to ensure that the best contractors were engaged at a fair price, since the awarding of contracts became based on the corrupt arrangement, rather than merit.”

Lim’s bail has been set at $75,000, and he is expected to begin serving his sentence on Aug 19.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.