On 20/4/2017 shockwaves was sent through the sports community, as the public quarrel between Hougang United chairman Bill Ng and FAS general secretary Winston Lee over an S$500,000 donation swiftly intensified into the biggest scandal to hit local football with the police raid the headquarters of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and three football clubs
It all begin on Thursday at 1647hrs when a police report was filed against Tiong Bahru FC for alleged misappropriation of club funds, as well as a supposed attempt by a senior club official – understood to be Ng – to hinder the completing of audits of the S.League’s sit-out clubs by Sport Singapore (SportSG), the national governing body for sports.
SportSG said that “SportSG received a letter from a named individual alleging that a senior officer of a Football Club had instigated another Club to delay and/or obstruct the completion of audits until after the FAS Elections, scheduled to be held on April 29, with false reasons,” referring to the landmark election where FAS’s 44 affiliates will pick the sport’s leaders.
Ng – leader of Team Game Changers – is taking on former FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong of Team LKT in the elections.
Tiong Bahru is a National Football League (NFL) Division 1 side, while the other two, Hougang and Woodlands, are S.League clubs.
Police officers in civilian attire, were seen entering the offices and clubhouses with laptops, briefcases and cardboard boxes before leaving the four premises with files, documents and computers.
A Woodlands Wellington staff was later seen being escorted into an unmarked police car as the raid dragged into the night. HGFC general manager Matthew Tay was also seen leaving the premises with police officers at Hougang
Hougang United chairman Ng, who is also closely linked to the other two clubs, was not present at any of the facilities during the raid. According to a Team Game Changers spokesman, he spent the day in his office with friends.
After 50 minutes after the raid by the police began, Lee was spotted arriving at the FAS office around 6.20pm
SportSG had asked the FAS in March 2016 to investigate and clarify the issue over the jackpot revenue.
Ng’s stunning relevation of Tiong Bahru’s S$500,000 donation to the Asean Football Federation (AFF) via the FAS at a press conference last Thursday had also prompted SportSG to look into the matter.
It added in its statement: “SportSG also made further checks, which raised other serious questions about the use of Club funds.