Truck drivers charged with offence in Singapore for $1 bribes

Two forklift truck drivers have been charged in Singapore with soliciting bribes from lorry drivers.

While working at the Cogent Container Depot, they allegedly took $1 bribes several times in order to avoid the delay of loading and unloading of vehicles.

Both employees face up to five years of imprisonment, as well as a $100,000 fine.

Adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, Singapore holds itself in high regard being one of the world’s least corrupt nations.

According to a statement by Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, it said that employees are expected to work “fairly”, and not take bribes to exchange favours.

“Even if the bribe amount is as low as $1, they can be taken to task,” the agency said. “Bribes of any amount or any kind will not be tolerated.”

Ranking sixth on Transparency International’s 2017 Corruption Perception Index, Singapore has long maintained its ranks among the least corrupt economies globally.