Malaysian arrested for helping ex-church leader's attempt to flee Singapore

Chew Eng Han, who was due to begin his jail term on Feb 22, was arrested at sea along with another man who was piloting the boat on Feb 21. - ST file photo

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 45-year-old Malaysian man for his suspected involvement in helping former City Harvest Church leader Chew Eng Han's attempted escape from Singapore, Channel NewsAsia reported.  

Quoting Singapore Police Force (SPF), the report said Khoo Kea Leng was arrested in Malaysia with the help of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) after the Singapore State Courts issued a warrant of arrest.  

Khoo was handed to SPF custody on Monday (Feb 26) and will be charged in court on Wednesday (Feb 28), said the report.  

According to the report, Chew, 57, was charged on Feb 22 with attempting to flee the country from Pulau Ubin in a motorised sampan on Feb 21.  

He was on bail of S$1mil (RM3mil) and due to turn himself in on Feb 22 to start serving a jail term of three years and four months for his role in the misappropriation of S$50mil (RM148mil) of church funds, it said.  

The report said it was the largest fraud involving charitable funds in Singapore's history.  

Another man, 53-year-old Tan Poh Teck, who was helming the motorised sampan, was also arrested and charged in court, it said.  

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun said Khoo's arrest would not have been possible without the close collaboration and strong relationship between the SPF and RMP.  

"The SPF will spare no efforts to hunt down criminals who commit crimes in Singapore. We will work with our foreign law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice," he was quoted as saying. - Bernama