SINGAPORE - The director of a construction company gave at least $192,000 in bribes to a facilities management director at the Singapore Zoological Gardens, now known as the Singapore Zoo.

At the time of the offences, the zoo was a subsidiary of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), which had awarded jobs worth more than $3.7 million and paid nearly $2.7million to Ultron Construction.

Now known as the Mandai Wildlife Group, WRS suffered a loss of at least $192,000 due to inflated bids Ultron had submitted under the corrupt arrangements.

Wong Eng Kuen, 46, was sentenced to eight months’ jail on Dec 5 after he pleaded guilty to three graft charges involving at least $140,000 in total. He committed these offences in 2016.

Three other charges relating to the remaining amount were considered during his sentencing.

In April,

Barry Chong Peng Wee

, then 58, who is no longer working for the zoo, was sentenced to six years’ jail after obtaining more than $2.4 million in bribes from multiple people between 2005 and 2016.

Chong, whom the prosecution described as the “central orchestrator” of the graft offences, was also ordered to pay a penalty of over $2.4 million.

He would have to spend an additional six years, seven months and 13 days behind bars should he fail to pay the amount.

Another accomplice

Toh Yong Soon

, then 39, was sentenced to three years and three months’ jail in May 2024. He was Wong’s brother...