Ex-CAG chairman Liew Mun Leong's son faces two charges over former maid's theft case

KARL Liew Kai Lung was charged with two offences on Thursday for giving allegedly false statements in the criminal case of the Indonesian maid formerly employed by his father, Liew Mun Leong, who was the chairman of Changi Airport Group (CAG).

The 43-year-old bankrupt has been accused of furnishing false information to the police during investigations into the alleged theft by Parti Liyani. He allegedly lied to a police officer on Dec 10, 2016 that Ms Parti had packed into her boxes 119 pieces of clothings that belonged to him.

He is also being charged with perjury in the trial of Ms Parti, that is, lying on July 17, 2018 that a polo T-shirt and a red blouse belonged to him.

Liew was investigated after the release of a High Court judgement in September that found his testimony during proceedings "suspect". His alleged lack of credibility was one of the factors that led the judge to overturn Ms Parti's conviction on four counts of stealing from the Liews.

He was granted bail of S$15,000 and the next mention for his case is Dec 17. Meanwhile, he would make representations.

The senior Liew was CAG chairman at the time he made a police report against Ms Parti in October 2016. He stepped down after her acquittal led to a public furore and questions were raised whether he had worked the system to his advantage.

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However, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam said in Parliament on Wednesday there was no improper influence in Ms Parti's criminal case, following investigations made after her appeal.

Perjury carries a mandatory imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine, while the maximum punishment for giving public servants false information is a jail term of six months and a S$5,000 fine.