Minister Rajah to clarify stern warning for Keppel O&M on next Parliament meeting

Assertions made were due to “inadequate understanding of facts,” the second minister said.

Second Finance Minister Indranee Rajah said that “assertions” made regarding the stern warning related to the Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) corruption scandal was due to “an inadequate understanding of the facts.”

In a Facebook post, Minister Rajah promised to explain the facts at the next parliamentary sitting on 6 February so that “the public can decide for themselves.”

Six former senior officials of Keppel O&M received a stern warning from the  Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in January 2023 in relation to a corruption scandal in Brazil, where Keppel O&M was accused of paying a total of US$55m (approximately S$73m) over 14 years to Brazilian authorities in order secure oil rig building deals.

On January 30, Keppel O&M announced that it had paid the fines and damages worth S$88m to Brazilian authorities in relation to the case.

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“As a country and as a Government, we do not condone or tolerate corruption. This has always been our position, and continues to be so,” Rajah wrote in a Facebook post, saying that if there were grounds and sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges, they would have been brought. 

“At the same time, criminal proceedings cannot be initiated based on sentiment. The rule of law applies both ways,” she added. 

Rajah said that MPs have filed parliamentary questions on this matter, and that she will address the questions and explain facts related to the issuance of the stern warning in parliament.