Manpower Minister Josephine Teo will waive the S$1,000 donation demand for one of two men who accused her and her husband of corruption in a Facebook post.

The man, Donald Liew, was unable to make the donation due to “his personal circumstances”, his lawyers, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP, said in a media statement on May 22.

“The minister has considered his circumstances and kindly agreed to his request for which he is grateful,” the lawyers said.

Teo even offered to assist Liew with his personal circumstances, the statement continued.

The latest development comes after Liew apologised unreservedly to Teo on May 20.

He admitted that the Facebook post he made on May 14 contained allegations that were “false and completely without foundation”.

Background

Liew had accused Teo of having "improperly benefited herself and her family financially, as a result of her mismanagement of the dormitory infections relating to the Covid-19 virus, and the development of emergency housing facilities by Surbana Jurong".

Teo's husband is Teo Eng Cheong, who is the chief executive (International) of Surbana Jurong.

Surbana Jurong had developed the community care facilities at Singapore Expo and Changi Exhibition Centre.

Calling the allegations “untrue, scurrilous and completely baseless”, Teo said via her lawyers from law firm Allen & Gledhill in a May 20 statement: "On these projects, Surbana Jurong dealt directly with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Development."

"Neither my spouse nor I have any involvement with the commissioning of these projects or the monetary transactions."

Other man apologised too

Besides Liew, activist Jolovan Wham was also a recipient of the lawyers' letters.

Wham has also withdrawn his accusation and apologised.

He has also made the S$1,000 donation.

Thuraisingam's firm also represents Wham.

Teo had required both men to make a donation of S$1,000 each to the Migrant Workers' Assistance Fund.