A Scandal Uncovered in Singapore's Wildlife Department

In a groundbreaking ruling, a former assistant director at Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) was convicted for accepting a S$20,000 (approximately US$15,600) bribe from the director of an engineering firm. The verdict was delivered on Friday, August 29, casting a shadow over the integrity of the wildlife management industry.

The Players in this Corruption Saga

Goh Meng Kwee, aged 53, was convicted alongside Ng Yeow Seng, the 62-year-old director of Ascension Engineering Services. Both men were found guilty of a corruption charge, but the scandal runs much deeper—Goh still faces an additional 12 charges, including 10 counts of corruption and two counts involving the misuse of S$44,000 in bribes to finance a luxury Mercedes-Benz B200 in 2017.

In total, the financial ramifications of Goh's alleged crimes extend beyond S$200,000, raising serious questions about financial conduct within WRS, which has since rebranded as Mandai Wildlife Group. This organization is responsible for managing iconic wildlife parks like the Singapore Zoo and Bird Paradise.

How the Bribe Was Spent