UK drops corruption probe to save arms contract and jobs
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In 2004, BBC uncovered evidence of a corruption scam involving a huge arms deal with Saudi Arabia:
"With exclusive interviews with three former insiders, BBC Two's flagship business series The Money Programme reveals a secret £60m slush fund used by the UK's leading arms maker, BAE Systems, to grease the wheels of the biggest arms deals in British history.
Prince Turki bin Nasser, a leading member of Saudi Arabia's ruling royal family, was the principal beneficiary of BAE's millions...."
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3712770.stm)
The UK launched an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. The response of the Saudis was to threaten to pull out of a lucrative arms deal and go instead to the French:
"French and Saudi officials are in talks over the sale of Rafale fighters, planemaker Dassault has admitted.
The links threaten a £6bn deal won by BAE Systems to sell 72 Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia.
Speculation has grown that Saudi ire over a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) probe into alleged corruption might cause the huge Typhoon deal to collapse..."
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6198652.stm)
The message from the Saudis to the Brits was clear: stop the investigation or else....
"...Ministers and officials have been telling him that their best chance of re-establishing some kind of entente with the Saudis depends on there being less noise in the media about the ongoing investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into allegations of bribes paid to land a big Saudi defence contract...."
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6206298.stm)
In the face of losing billions of pounds in business and thousands of jobs, the UK has capitulated to the threat and dropped the probe:
"The Serious Fraud Office has dropped a corruption probe into a defence deal with Saudi Arabia, after warnings it could damage national security.
Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said the SFO was discontinuing its investigation into Britain's biggest defence company, BAE Systems.
The reversal follows reports that Saudi Arabia was considering pulling out of a deal to buy Eurofighter jets from BAE.
Lord Goldsmith said he thought that a prosecution "could not be brought".
He said the decision had been made in the wider public interest, which had to be balanced against the rule of law..."
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6181949.stm)
Rule of law...yes, Principles.... yes, morality...yes....But not at the expense of the economy. -
Are you seriously suggesting, alleging and admitting corruption is ok for the sake of Singapore's economy? Gahmen, is it true, here's one within your midst advancing tis cause?
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Why not just close down CPIB then? BS. Complete BS.
I recall someone was such an avid fan of Transparency International a while back..
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If you remember the report by Transparency International, you will know that Singapore is placed 5th in the world in CPI which measures domestic level of corruption. Someone highlighted the fact that in terms of Singaporean companies involved in bribery OVERSEAS, Singapore's ranking dropped to 12th.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Why not just close down CPIB then? BS. Complete BS.
I recall someone was such an avid fan of Transparency International a while back..
As this story in UK shows, it is important that whilst it is important that domestic corruption is kept under check, bribing foreign nations to benefit your own economy is quite acceptable. -
I wonder if PAP has any of its hands dipped into corruption,especially Lee Kuan Yew.
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Nobody knows. LKY could have ties to the Burmese drug lords for all we know.Originally posted by ceecookie:I wonder if PAP has any of its hands dipped into corruption,especially Lee Kuan Yew. -
Originally posted by oxford mushroom:
So, if we can bribe foreign nations to benefit your own economy, other countries can similarly bribe our politicians to benefit their own economy... who's larger, the world or us? Can we out-bribe them??
If you remember the report by Transparency International, you will know that Singapore is placed 5th in the world in CPI which measures domestic level of corruption. Someone highlighted the fact that in terms of Singaporean companies involved in bribery OVERSEAS, Singapore's ranking dropped to 12th.
As this story in UK shows, it is important that whilst it is important that domestic corruption is kept under check, bribing foreign nations to benefit your own economy is quite acceptable.
On another note, if other countries are corrupt, does it mean we can do so? Where are the morals?
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Other countries don't have a government like ours who can control corruption...that's the difference.Originally posted by abao:So, if we can bribe foreign nations to benefit your own economy, other countries can similarly bribe our politicians to benefit their own economy... who's larger, the world or us? Can we out-bribe them??
On another note, if other countries are corrupt, does it mean we can do so? Where are the morals?
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Other countries don't have a government like ours who can control corruption...that's the difference.Originally posted by abao:So, if we can bribe foreign nations to benefit your own economy, other countries can similarly bribe our politicians to benefit their own economy... who's larger, the world or us? Can we out-bribe them??
On another note, if other countries are corrupt, does it mean we can do so? Where are the morals? -
kudos to publications like TIME who bend over to our wisest of ministers so they can continue circulation here.
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You actually believe everything is clean in SG? Can you bet your life on it?Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Other countries don't have a government like ours who can control corruption...that's the difference. -
corruption doesnt exist here, only well-deserved multi-million dollar salaries for our wisest menOriginally posted by oxford mushroom:Other countries don't have a government like ours who can control corruption...that's the difference. -
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you have alot of money to pay your lawyers hor? Get ready to sell your house to pay for the defamation suit...npntOriginally posted by ölala: -
More likely it is Wikipedia who is at fault.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:you have alot of money to pay your lawyers hor? Get ready to sell your house to pay for the defamation suit...npnt -
Are you sure or not.Originally posted by ölala:
Where do you get this information? -
Whoever publishes defamatory remarks are also liable for prosecution. including the one who hosts the websiteOriginally posted by iveco:More likely it is Wikipedia who is at fault. 
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Wikipedia aint based in Singapore,nor is there any assets registered to Wiki here.I think PAP gonna have a hard time if they wanna sue.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Whoever publishes defamatory remarks are also liable for prosecution. including the one who hosts the website -
morality over money
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Dun forget they can track you down by your IP address...if you post a defamatory remark taken from somewhere else, eg. a book, a website etc., you are still liable. Sgforums is also liable for hosting the website that allows the defamatory remark to be posted.Originally posted by ceecookie:Wikipedia aint based in Singapore,nor is there any assets registered to Wiki here.I think PAP gonna have a hard time if they wanna sue. -
plz lar...u go wikipedia and see for yourself. the post above is obviously a fake...
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Originally posted by oxford mushroom:
In short, you admit that corruption can be tolerated for the sake of a strong economy.
Rule of law...yes, Principles.... yes, morality...yes....But not at the expense of the economy.
Ok, thanks. That's all I need to hear. -
Same here. And that being corrupt overseas is perfectly fine and dandy just as long as you are "legal" at home too.Originally posted by fudgester:In short, you admit that corruption can be tolerated for the sake of a strong economy.
Ok, thanks. That's all I need to hear.
No thanks to him, the general regard and reputation of a Singaporean just got pegged down a notch. -
It goes to show how sad we've become when we have people claiming that morals can be tossed aside in the name of material wellbeing.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Same here. -
But then since Sgforums is hosted in UK,will Britain's Freedom of Speech be applicable to us?Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Dun forget they can track you down by your IP address...if you post a defamatory remark taken from somewhere else, eg. a book, a website etc., you are still liable. Sgforums is also liable for hosting the website that allows the defamatory remark to be posted.