Lee Kuan Yew's Teh Cheang Wan standard means it is enough that Singtel-Optus Managing Director Gladys Berejikilian be found even mildly corrupt

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

The Australian Financial Review's  Legal Editor Michael Pelly wrote in June 2023:

It will be of little comfort to (Singtel-Optus Managing Director Gladys)  Berejiklian that she won’t be facing criminal charges, given ICAC’s finding that she engaged in “serious corrupt conduct”.

However, that is just a consequence of the ICAC Act being amended in 2015 – so that ICAC’s power was limited in making findings of “corrupt conduct” only in cases where there was serious corrupt conduct. There was no definition of serious in the provision.

While Pelly's article was largely dismissive of Berejiklian's chances of successfully quashing the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption's findings against her  the paragraph above appears to provide some indication of how Berejiklian might approach her judicial review. Berejiklian's supporters, especially Matt Kean, challenged ICAC to recommend criminal charges, and if not find that she has not done anything wrong.   Berejiklian has hired Australia's leading Senior Counsel, Brett Walker SC to handle her application, and it can be anticipated in light of the above that Walker will make lengthy submissions of what "serious" means. 

However all that  ought not matter to Singtel-Optus, which as mentioned before, is held to the  higher Teh Cheang Wan standard set by Lee Kuan Yew himself. By that standard, a formal finding of corruption is not necessary.An investigation into corrupt conduct is sufficient to require resignation, and more.

TO BE READ WITH 

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Gladys Berejiklian vs Teh Cheang Wan - What is the difference between these two cases that permits Singtel to appoint Berejiklian a managing director, despite the corruption and security issues?

by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Compare the pair.

Teh Cheang Wan






Gladys Berejiklian

Nowhere to hide for Optus’ O’Sullivan on ICAC question


By Samantha Hutchinson and Stephen Brook
March 3, 2022 — 6.00am
Save

Share
Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size
Advertisement



On Monday former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian stepped into her post-politics best life and Optus’s Macquarie Park headquarters to re-ignite her previously high-flying corporate career.

Readers will recall the telco giant went public with its hiring in early February. Chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin praised the Liberal heavyweight as a “gamechanger” in her new role as head of enterprise, technology and institutional.


Paul O’Sullivan and Gladys Berejiklian.CREDIT:JOHN SHAKESPEARE

The 600-pound missing gorilla in the press release was the fact that the popular former pollie was investigated by the NSW corruption watchdog over her secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is yet to hand down its final report on whether Our Glad breached public trust or encouraged corrupt conduct.



But insiders say a draft report is finished and has been quietly circulated to relevant parties ahead of an April release. Whatever its findings, adverse or otherwise — the spectre of the report seems well and truly on the telco’s mind, as Optus chair Paul O’Sullivan made clear on Wednesday.

At the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Australian Governance Summit in Melbourne on Wednesday, O’Sullivan was asked a classic question on governance — about the telco’s decision to hire Berejiklian amid the black clouds of the ICAC investigation.

On stage, the Western Sydney Airport chair and close confidante of Communications Minister Paul Fletcher was effusive singing Berejiklian’s praises before acknowledging the company would have “to see how ICAC plays out though…”

Given the NSW corruption watchdog’s idiosyncratic approach to media management and its legendary ability to set its own — rather languid — timelines, an April release date seems rather speedy to us.

When contacted for further comment on O’Sullivan’s remarks, the company was tightlipped. “We have no further comments on Gladys’ appointment.” Let’s see how that changes in April.

END 

Rereference

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Singtel employs Gladys Berejiklian despite corruption investigation and Communist Party China links - links include ISA detainee Khoo Ee Liam who supported the Malaysian Communist Party

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Berejiklian's high level security clearance could not have been justified on anything other than political grounds

Australia's ABC and others have reported: 

Just months after she quit as NSW premier during a corruption investigation, Gladys Berejiklian has been appointed to an executive role at telecommunications giant Optus

Ms Berejiklian will take on the newly created role of managing director, enterprise, business and institutional. 

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said Ms Berejiklian was a proven leader who demonstrated strength, discipline and composure during her time as premier.

Optus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singtel.  The company's full name is  SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LIMITED , Singtel is owned by Temasek, the Government Of Singapore's investment arm. 

The Singapore Government is  very, very serious about eradicating corruption. A Singapore politician under investigation for corruption would never have been appointed to any position in any Temasek company, or any other Singapore GLC.

The Government Of Singapore has also a long history of fighting communist, especially those from China. Ms Berejuiklian on the other  has sort support from Communist Party China operatives, including  members of the United Front, and most troubling, one William Chiu  Otherwise known as Khoo Ee Liam,he had been detained under the ISA in Malaysia for supporting the Malaysian Communist Party.

Singapore politicians with such links have usually ended up in prison, and they too would never have been appointed to any position in any Temasek company, or any other Singapore GLC.

TO BE READ WITH