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Lum Kok Seng: Who is the Singapore businessman mentioned in ex-minister S Iswaran's case?
Singapore's former transport minister S Iswaran allegedly obtained valuable items while he was a public servant from Lum Kok Seng.
SINGAPORE — S Iswaran, Singapore's former transport minister, was handed eight new charges on Monday (25 March) that he obtained valuable items while he was a public servant from Lum Kok Seng, a director of Lum Chang Building Contractors (LCBC).
The items, worth nearly S$19,000, were allegedly obtained from Lum between November 2021 and November 2022. Here is the list of items according to the charges:
Four bottles of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whisky worth S$1,084.46 (November 2021),
Two bottles of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whisky worth S$524.23, three bottles of L'Evangile 2014 wine worth S$394.20, three bottles of Pauillac De Latour 2015 wine worth S$186.31, three bottles of Albert Bichot Domaine du Clos Frantin Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 wine worth S$1,177.21 and three bottles of Pichon Lalande 2010 wine worth S$955.80 (January 2022),
A TaylorMade golf driver worth S$749 (January 2022),
Two bottles of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whisky worth S$524.23 (May 2022),
A set of Honma Beres BE-08 Black AQ MX golf clubs worth S$4,420 (June 2022),
A Brompton T Line bicycle worth S$7,907.50 (June 2022),
Two bottles of M&H Elements Sherry Cask whisky worth S$198 (July 2022),
A Scotty Cameron Phantom golf putter worth S$600 and two golf chippers worth S$100 each (November 2022).
Iswaran, who was handed 27 charges on 18 January – two of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, one of obstructing justice and 24 of receiving gratification as a public servant under the Penal Code – now faces a total of 35 charges.
The former transport minister who resigned in January 2024 allegedly knew that Lum was linked to a Land Transport Authority (LTA) contract for works at Tanah Merah MRT station through LCBC.
Singapore media reported that The Attorney-General’s Chambers said it will take a decision with regard to investigations against Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed. This is similar to what it said about billionaire Ong Beng Seng.
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Who is Lum Kok Seng?
As stated on Lum Chang Holdings' website, David Lum Kok Seng is a Singaporean listed as its managing director since 1 September 1985. The company is a property management, interior design and construction firm and listed on the Singapore Exchange.
The 74-year-old is also a director at a number of subsidiaries, including LCBC, Lum Chang Properties, Lum Chang Property Investments and Lum Chang Asia Pacific.
The Lum Chang website states that he has a 40-year of industry experience and successfully led the group's property development expansion in Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.
He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2010 as patron of Ayer Rajah-West Coast Citizens' Consultative Committee.
Ayer Rajah is part of West Coast GRC where Iswaran served as a Member of Parliament from 1997 until his resignation in January 2024.
What are Lum's transport-related business dealings?
The latest charges against Iswaran stated that he knew Lum, through LCBC, was involved in a Tanah Merah MRT station project when receiving the valuable items.
The project that was awarded by LTA to LCBC in 2016 is valued at S$325 million and slated to be completed in 2025. This includes adding a platform and a concourse to the East-West Line station, along with two entrances linked by an underpass near the Tanah Merah Kechil Avenue intersection.
Another LCBC project with LTA is the construction of North-South Corridor tunnel between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 9.
The S$799 million project was awarded in December 2018 and is expected to be finished in 2027.
The scope of works includes the design and construction of 1.95km of tunnel structures, a facility building near Ang Mo Kio Town Garden, and roads and drainage systems.
What is Lum Chang known for?
According to the company's profile, the late Lum Chang founded his namesake company in 1940s with its origin in construction.
Today, the group has evolved and grown to include businesses in property development, investment and interior finishing works.
The group's contruction arm, LCBC, is one of Singapore's leading construction companies with a portfolio includes mainly commercial and residential projects, from both the government and public sectors.
"To date, our expansive construction portfolio is valued at more that S$11.5 billion," the company stated.
Some of these notable projects include Emerald Garden in Singapore and gated residences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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