The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean have completed their investigations into ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan's renting of the black and white bungalows at Ridout Road.
They submitted their reports to Prime Minister Lee, who accepted the two reports and ordered that both be published and tabled in Parliament as a Miscellaneous Paper.
If you don't want to trawl through the 44-page paper, here's a tl;dr (too long; didn't read).
Q: How does SLA rent out B&W houses?
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Q: Were there conflicts of interest and did the ministers abuse their power and/ or benefit from privileged information?
According to CPIB and Teo, the short answer is no.
For the long answer, read below.
Q: How much are the ministers paying for rent?
Shanmugam has been paying S$26,500 per month for renting 26 Ridout Road since June 2018. The property spans 23,164 sqm, after the land size was increased from 9,350 sqm to include an empty slope of land that has thick and overgrown vegetation.
Balakrishnan was paying S$19,000 per month between October 2019 and October 2022 for the 31 Ridout Road property. He is paying S$20,000 per month now for the 9,157.36 sqm property.
CPIB and Teo found that Shanmugam's rental was equal to the guide rent while Vivian was paying S$200 more than the S$18,800 guide rent.
Q: How much does it cost to stay in a black and white house?
Tl;dr, a lot.
26 Ridout Road
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) paid S$515,400 for essential repair works to make 26 Ridout Road habitable.
SLA also paid S$172,000 to clear the overgrown vegetation, as well as to erect a fence and replant greenery, on a slope adjacent to 26 Ridout Road.
This land was incorporated into 26 Ridout Road, more than doubling its size from 9,350 sqm to 23,164 sqm, and Shanmugam pays S$25,000 per year to maintain the additional land.
He also paid S$61,400 to build the car porch and over S$400,000 for additional improvement works.
31 Ridout Road
SLA paid S$$570,500 for the essential repair works for 31 Ridout Road.
Vivian paid over S$200,000 for additional improvement works, which included the upgrading of the toilet.
Q: How big is the swimming pool at 26 Ridout Road?
CPIB and Teo did not elaborate.
However, Teo did say that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) advised SLA that no approval was required for a swimming pool to be installed at 26 Ridout Road. This is because planning application to URA is not required for "minor works" that are external to and do not affect the conserved bungalow.
Q: Were any trees cut illegally?
Teo said SLA cleared the vegetation with the National Parks Board's approval.
Q: How long are they staying at Ridout Road?
Shanmugam's tenancy agreement is for 3+3+3 years, which is the maximum period in the first instance, and started from June 2018.
Balakrishnan's tenancy agreement is for 3+2+2 years, starting from October 2019. At the end of the first three-year term, the agreement was renewed to 3+2, where the second term is three years instead of two.
CPIB and Teo said Shanmugam and Balakrishnan's respective tenancies kept to the maximum allowable tenancy period.
They explained that 26 Ridout Road's tenancy period was 3+3+3 years, the maximum, as Shanmugam's wife had committed to undertake improvement works at a cost in excess of S$400,000.
31 Ridout Road, on the other hand, was granted a 3+2+2 years as Balakrishnan's wife had undertook improvement works costing over S$200,000. The tenancy period was extended to 3+3+2 years upon the request of Balakrishnan's wife.
Q: Given the hoo-ha, will the ministers continue renting the Ridout Road properties?
It depends. But we will find out more in next week's parliament sitting.
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June 28, 2023, 08:05 PM
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
Infographic by Jessin Goh/Mothership
