Stricter casino rules for public officers

SINGAPORE - Casino visits are off-limits for some officers, and now the Government wants all public officers who visit the two casinos frequently or buy the annual passes to declare such activities.

Disclosing this in Parliament on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said the new rule is likely to kick in after a review by the Public Service Division that is now under way.

At present, Casino Regulatory Authority officers and police officers working on casino-related matters are not allowed to visit the casinos except on official duty. General law enforcement officers must declare any casino visit within seven days.

Mr Teo was responding to four MPs' questions on public concerns about the recent run of criminal cases against public servants.

The latest involves a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau assistant director, Edwin Yeo, who allegedly siphoned $1.7 million to, in part, fund a gambling habit.

On the spate of cases, Mr Teo said: "Although the statistics do not show an uptrend, we are concerned that these cases should not undermine public confidence, or convey the impression that standards have slackened over time. This is why we are prosecuting the cases vigorously." es were not implemented well and were circumvented, which led to continued loss of funds, added Mr Teo.

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.