Former group director of HDB accused of breaching agency’s database 161 times

SINGAPORE - A former group director of the Housing Board is facing accusations that she had breached the agency’s database and retained documents pertaining to seven HDB flats in 2024.

Tan Chew Ling, who was Group Director of Estate Administration and Property, had on 161 separate occasions accessed HDB’s housing management submissions database despite not being authorised to do so.

She did this over two days on April 27 and April 28, 2024.

The 58-year-old is facing one charge of committing unauthorised access to computer materials under the Computer Misuse Act.

Tan also allegedly retained documents and information pertaining to seven HDB flats on April 28, 2024, an offence under the Official Secrets Act.

According to court documents, she had only managed to obtain the documents and information due to her position in the agency.

The group that Tan oversaw is in charge of formulating and implementing public housing policies, managing the supply of flats, its prices, sales and resales, as well as handling housing grants and loans.

Tan, who was first charged in August this year, will return to court for a pre-trial conference fixed for Oct 20.

The HDB flats she had sought information on are scattered across Kim Keat, Pasir Ris, Dakota, Dawson Road, Bedok North, Tampines and Shunfu.

The documents she had allegedly retained include a file containing details of a compulsory acquisition of home ownership for a flat.

Other files include the computed estimated rental income for private property at Duo Residences in Fraser Street, and a file containing information on HDB disallowing an objection against an intended compulsory acquisition of a home ownership flat.

Tan had herself reported a leak of confidential information in 2017, when a HDB officer working in the resale operations arm gave information on a project involving resale transactions to a journalist from The Straits Times.

Tan, who was then already a group director, made a police report about the leak of confidential information.

The officer was subsequently charged in the District Court and fined $2,000 for breaching the Official Secrets Act. The journalist received a stern police warning.

Checks on the government directory showed Tan is no longer HDB’s Group Director of Estate Administration and Property.

ST has reached out to HDB for comments.

Andrew Wong is a correspondent with The Straits Times’ court and crime desk.