Thursday, June 25, 2015

Prodigal Son Comes Home

Will wonders never cease! Former chairman of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and People's Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament for Boon Teck (1972 - 1979) Phey Yew Kok popped up in court on Wednesday 24 June, after being on the lam for almost 36 straight years.

Phey was the key instigator behind the American Marine incident, wherein Tan Wah Piow was fixed for allegedly inciting a riot inside the premises of the Pioneer Industries Employees' Union (PIEU). It mattered not to judge TS Sinnathuray that Tan was not anywhere within the vicinity of the frame-up. When the political winds changed direction, Phey was nabbed for 4 counts of criminal breach of trust involving a total sum of $83,000, and 2 counts under the Trade Unions Act for investing $18,000 of trade-union money in a private supermarket without the approval of the minister.

Although released on bail, Phey was conveniently allowed to hang on to his passport. Even in those pre-internet days, rumours were rife about powerful friends who facilitated his flight from justice. Devan Nair actually believed in his innocence, and pressurised the CPIB to review the case. When shown the dossier compiled, Nair decided otherwise about supporting the crooked man. SR Nathan makes mention of Phey in his book as some sort of trade union protege. In his heyday, Phey was a powerful union leader credited with convincing Chinese unions to join the NTUC during the 1970s.

Mysterious sightings subsequently placed him eking out a miserable existence as a fugitive in Thailand, while others claimed he was living it up as a kingpin operating a transport company in Taiwan. Authorities are telling us Phey had simply left Singapore for Kuala Lumpur by train on Dec 31, 1979. Well, at least that's more credible than Mas Selamat bin Kastari floating across the Johore Straits on a rubber ducky.

It is not clear why Phey surrendered himself at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok on Monday. Maybe he was seduced by the promises of the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) and goodies in the SG50 Seniors Package. Man, is he in for a surprise!

Also not clear was why, in response to media queries, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "He has been charged in court, and the law will have to take its course." Note that the media never queries the prime minister about the saga of Amos Yee.

45 comments:

  1. It's all wayang, pre-arranged to script! The old man is desirous of living his last years in SG. He gets to plead not guilty and will get a light sentence and all expenses paid accommodation at the Changi resort with medical benefit and VIP treatment. LHL gets to close a case that has been a thorn in the side of the PAP, and something to divert attention from other political issues during the run-up to the next GE. There could be other benefits since Phey could know much more than what he would say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "He has been charged in court, and the law will have to take its course." Methinks, this is euphemism for a "deal".

      Delete
    2. He knows more than many others who are already dead. LKY legacy will be kept intact if he keeps his mouth shut, so perhaps there has been some pre-bargaining for a light sentence in exchange for silence.
      Also not sure if the statue of limitations apply to the crime after 35 years?
      Anyway, Phay was no angel. He was attacked once by some gangster (can still see the scar on his face). How he became a PAP MP beats me but I suppose LKY has no choice has he has control of the union and that partly explains why the govt moves in to take control of the union. It was rumoured that Phay wasn't the only guy on the take but the whole union committee was sharing the loot! They were that blatant taking items from the supermarket from the backdoor in bright daylight.

      Delete
    3. ..light sentence..?!

      Who wants to bet that Phey is going to serve less time than the total sum of Amos Yee - todate 59 days and counting?

      Delete
    4. Me just want to know how on earth does LKY know PYK was eking out a miserable living yet unable to bring him back to Justice?

      Delete
    5. Why never haraKiri? If money is not in his acct, then who? We're there other accomplices or was he the only one who escaped from the Lions paw aka that horrible person's hatchet?

      Delete
  2. What happened to his wife that he left behind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What about a mistress?
      Was he celibate over the last 36 years while he was overseas?

      Delete
    2. The two sons refused to comment.

      How about putting him in the same remand cell as Amos yee. Maybe one prodigal son goes in, another goes out --- and can write or direct a film about his exciting life in the lock up. Since the PM says nothing is too embarrassed to expose right?

      Delete
  3. Medical treatment at Polyclinic very cheap mah.
    Also got $8 heart bypass.
    And affordable subsidized public housing.
    What's not to like?

    Certainly, accommodations and medical treatment are free at the Changi Resort.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Man is back to take advantages of Pioneer Generation Package and other benefits. These include dying with his kins around and of course be buried in his place of birth.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forbes has an article that say "Singapore blogger faces financial ruin"

      So in Phey's case, ST should headlined this "Singapore fugitive faces retirement bliss" lah.

      In fact, that is a good testament that the PG plans all working very well..the positive side effects that PAP must take credit for right? No wonder they have such a foresight to build a multi storey HQ that truly will make Singapore #1 attraction for hooligans and cleaver murderers to surrender crime lah..why not, taxpayers money only what.

      http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/new-prison-hq-be-powered-clean-energy

      Delete
    2. What else is new. As sure as the sun will rise it will also set. It used to be only Opposition politician faces ruin" but now it has progressed to "bloggers /citizens". Son will make father proud.

      If it's any comfort, there will be 3.5 m of daft citizens who can be fixed too, a very large pool. All they need to do, is keep voting in these horrible people as their masters.

      Delete
  5. Damn!

    I had kept a union membership card that bears his name & signature.

    Its now worthless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you put it up on eBay? Prepared to pay $50 for it.

      Delete
  6. ' Note that the media never queries the prime minister about the saga of Amos Yee '.
    Ours are not in the mould of Sakur or Amanpour.
    They are called propagandists, told how to frame the questions and what to print

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Media also never query the wife Ho Ching who is also the patron of Autistic association leh. So why never ask her if it was the right process to send ADS kid to IMH for psycho analysis?

      Delete
  7. "Phey asked the court interpreter to read the charges to him slowly as he said he was hard of hearing."

    Definitely another deaf frog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, Ha. He will also be a dumb frog. And that's probably his best bargaining chip.
      Will he spilled the beans that Tan Wah Piow never rioted but he was the organiser of the riot at PIEU office that caused Wah Piow to be imprisoned?
      Remember, he's a PAP MP a point the media never highlight.

      Delete
    2. He is not only almost deaf now, the press also stress that his memory/mind almost gone too. LMAO...so what is there to remember?!! This one confirmed can go into IMH and take Amos place instead. How to trust his statement now even if he has anything incriminating to say?

      Delete
  8. //Maybe he was seduced by the promises of the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) and goodies in the SG50 Seniors Package. Man, is he in for a surprise!//

    Best SG50 gift to his motherland?

    Me thinks he is back for the "fun" packs. Everyone knows it is more of a war time ration pack of milo, can food etc which he probably has run out in Bangkok.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dark Duck Tales6/25/2015 3:47 PM

    "... more credible than Mas Selamat bin Kastari floating across the Johore Straits on a rubber ducky."

    Un...Un....Un....Un...Un

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonders never cease indeed.

    After running for half his life, not traceable at all, and despite many attempts and questions by JB Jeyaratnam on whether surveillance was launched on his family whom he might still have kept in touch. Yet, they know everything and the whereabouts of Francis Seow, but none the wiser on PYK who could even take a train out of SG with his passport which is not impounded, amidst a glaring CBT case!!!

    Wow...Wonder-full of zip-it plots and holes.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bet you SPH will pay millions for the rights to publish his book

    ReplyDelete
  12. So where is this judge Sinnathurai who was not interested in the truth as he claimed back then? Wasn't there an Australian queen counsel who also lamp owned this case. What was that all about? Can some one give a brief summary to this complex case, an untainted history if you will.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tan Wah Piow has published an account of the trial in "Frame-up: A Singapore court on trial", currently out of print.

      Delete
    2. PYK fabricated lies that TWP was involved in the riots. During the trial, ntuc sent it's members to the court to support PYK...they must feel very goondu to be used after the cbt cases went public. Is clear he was bribed.

      Delete
    3. I remember that as we filed into the court to support Tan Wah Piow, a photographer was standing at the doorway, clicking away with the Seagull camera hung around his neck. When we asked him why he was taking our pictures, he said don't worry, no film in camera. This was in the old days, when each roll had a maximum of 36 exposures. And there were more of us that day filing into the kangeroo court of TS Sinnathuray.

      Delete
  13. I say, is there no rest for the wicked? He comes back from his cycling in the Hokkaido rail corridor, and here is this guy who comes in from the cold of 35 years, like a bad memory. And the Amos Yee saga is not yet closed. Problems, problems, problems. Will this scupper his chances in the General Election? Stay tuned.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "is there no rest for the wicked"...

      Ha! Ha!... well.. he did say he would spend more time in fixing the opposition... ha! ha!..

      Lovely when everything falls into place.

      Delete
    2. http://youtu.be/DLt4MrZCzsM

      PM should bring his family to Africa instead.

      Like how our leaders like to anyhow label people with madness, over there they like to label albinos as witches. It will certainly increase his empathy since he has none whatsoever to begin with.

      Delete
  14. When PYK run road, Nair was the NTUC Chief.
    Years later, Nair also have to run road.
    Is it because they are way too powerful than the old man?
    No wonder One teng cheong had to execute the protest quietly. Otherwise also must run road.

    Remember, it stands for Never Trust Your Chief.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah. We can't rule out the possibility that he was also framed by that horrible person. If the evidence against him are irrefutable, why is he still pleading innocence against the charges after so many years? There is more than meets the eye. The drama has just resumed after 36 years. Let's be a bit more patient for the finale. If this is not an arranged deal, you can bet the PAP will come out smelling shitty.

      Delete
    2. All these incidents have one similarity - the leaders are getting too popular. In the old world, the e,peror would either have them killed or exiled

      Delete
  15. 83000 can lasts 35 years? Did he return because the cheques in the mail has stopped arriving, horribly so huh?

    ReplyDelete
  16. No coincidence he comes back now. Must have a "do not return until I'm gone" gentlemen agreement before he left. But this is a sign that more chickens are returning to roost.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very plausible ! And the other comment earlier about the monthly cheques not arriving anymore since ... seems just as plausible too !
      So is Phey back to prove his innocence ? And to stand for Election since our PM must be scouring the World for candidates , no ?

      Delete
    2. Over my dead body.........

      Delete
    3. Yes. More good things to come. Its SG50, you know?

      Delete
  17. Amazing that for more than 35 years, the authorities here are unable to track his location which is just a short plane-throw from here. Yet when Francis Seow was in the US, they were able to monitor his every movement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Obviously, they knew where he was. It was rumoured he was enjoying bimself.
      To bring him back and charged him is to open up a can of worms. PYK would spill the beans.
      To let him escape and claimed he's untraceable is to leave the can of worms unopened, so no one knows how many worms there are.
      Similarly, when Teh Cheang Wan committed suicide, there was no further pursuit of his crimes. No one knows the extent of his corruption adn LKY was spared the embarrassment of his poor judgement in calling Teh a WOG (Western Oriental Gentleman) in high praise.

      Delete
  18. Phey Yew Kok will NEVER spill any bean.
    He does not have to. At his age, he got nothing to lose.
    There is no reason or need for him to do anything except to plead NOT guilty.

    IT IS UP TO THE PROSECUTION TO PROVE HIS CRIME(S).
    TO DO SO, THE PROSECUTION WILL HAVE TO SHOW EVIDENCE(S).

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
  19. Am I expected to feel story for this white monkey?

    ReplyDelete
  20. I admire the valuable information you offer in your articles. I will bookmark your site!!
    WAH Course

    ReplyDelete