SINGAPORE: An employee of the National Environment Agency (NEA) was charged with corruption on Monday (Nov 10) for allegedly taking bribes from people linked to companies providing funeral or cemetery-related work.

Abdul Salam Jahabar Sadiq, a 47-year-old Indian national and Singapore permanent resident, was a verification officer in NEA's burial operations section.

Between 2022 and 2023, he allegedly obtained bribes in the form of loans totalling about S$21,000 (US$16,000) from 10 individuals whose companies provide funeral-related services or cemetery-related works.

"The bribes were an inducement to refrain from reporting any malpractices committed by the 10 said individuals,"  the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a media release on Monday. 

Salam is accused of taking bribes ranging from S$500 to S$5,000 per loan. 

He faces 10 charges, of which two are amalgamated. 

An offence under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act carries a fine of up to S$100,000 and a maximum jail term of five years.