After 35 years on the run, Ex Singapore MP Phey Yew Kok surrenders; faces probe

SINGAPORE: An 81-year-old former Singapore politician, who had been on the run for 35 years despite an Interpol Red Cornor Notice, has surrendered and was charged for cases related to criminal breach of trust among others.

Phey Yew Kok, former member of Parliament, was once one of the country's most powerful union leaders of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and a rising political figure before he jumped bail in December 1979.

Phey, then aged 45, jumped bail and took a train to Kuala Lumpur and evaded attempts to track him down in Thailand for 35 years, The Straits Times reported today.

An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued for Phey's arrest. He is believed to be in the Interpol's wanted list longer than any other Singaporean, the report said.

On Monday, he surrendered to Singapore Embassy in Bangkok.

Phey appeared before a court yesterday to face six charges including criminal breach of trust involving 100,000 Singapore dollars that were first read to him in 1979, the report said.

He was charged with four counts of criminal breach of trust involving 83,000 dollars and two counts under the Trades Unions Act for investing 18,000 dollars of trade union money in a private supermarket without the approval of the minister.

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

Referring to Phey's appearance in the court, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he hopes this will "bring closure to a longstanding case involving a person who was holding public office as an MP and a senior union leader".

The attempts to bring him to justice showed Singapore's zero tolerance for corruption, he said.

"We have maintained a clean and non-corrupt system in Singapore for half a century because we have zero tolerance for corruption. When we discover wrongdoing, we do not hesitate to act. We will not allow any cover up, even when it is awkward or embarrassing for the Government," Lee said on his Facebook page.

Phey, an MP from the ruling People's Action Party, had a phenomenal rise after becoming an industrial relations officer with NTUC in 1964. In 1970, aged 35, he was picked to head NTUC and the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation (SILO).

When Phey became NTUC chairman in 1979, he was investigated for having misappropriated two cheques of 40,000 dollars and 25,000 dollars in 1975 while holding the position of Silo secretary general. In 1978, he allegedly used 18,000 dollars of SILO's funds to buy shares of Forward Supermarket without ministerial approval, breaching the Trade Unions Act.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng said more charges may be brought against Phey.

A pre-trial conference has been fixed for July 23.