Singaporean starts petition demanding investigation on Rajapaksa for money laundering
Jul 17, 2022
Singapore, July 17 : A Singaporean citizen has started an online petition to pressure Singapore Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam into investigating Sri Lanka's former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for money laundering.
The petition by Raymond Ng was started on Change.org, a worldwide petition website, based in California, USA.
Terming Singapore as a country with rule of law, Raymond Ng said that he has made a police report in Singapore, and he understands that Singapore Police Force needs to know how serious this is to start an investigation.
He said that there is nobody in Singapore who is above the law.
The Singaporean citizen further requested everyone to sign the petition and encourage the investigation. He stressed that he would submit this petition to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Minister Shanmugam to compel the investigation of this Sri Lankan President who is in Singapore now.
He also gave a police report for reference. "Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has just landed on the Republic of Singapore around 7.17 pm. As a result of this, my loyalty to Singapore compels me to make a police report on this President. On potential breach of our Money Laundering Laws," it said.
He listed the reasons and basis of the police report. At the outset, he said that Sri Lanka is now facing a serious shortage problem with respect to food, fuel and other basic necessities.
In large part, it is seen as mismanagement of Sri Lankan Governmental Mismanagement, he noted adding that large amount of reserves amounting to billions of USD is involved.
He also highlighted at the potential corruption problem, "which means the money the President brings with him to Republic of Singapore is highly suspicious as it may contain money belonging to Sri Lanka and not to the President."
Raymond Ng said that Rajapaksa is considered a "Politically Exposed Person (PEP)", and that means the money "he has brought along with him or has transferred via the International SWIFT system must be carefully scrutinized to ensure all the money he has with him is totally legal, and that is earned through his salary as the President of Sri Lanka."
He also raised questions if the custom check saw whether Gotabaya Rajapaksa was carrying cash or gold/silver. "I got to know that he has some expressed private lane which such checks may have been skipped," he said.
The Singaporean citizen raised concerns over his mobile phones or computers for any potential cryptocurrencies that the Rajapaksa may be bringing along with him to Singapore.
He stated that Rajapaksa must be investigated, and should any illegal activities are found he must be arrested and charged according to Singapore Laws.
"We cannot allow laundered money to come to Singapore shores. Dear police officers, you must protect the great image that Singapore has. With all the good governance that we are known for, you can start to show this to the international community by investigating the Sri Lankan President."
Notably, Sri Lanka's ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore amid protests demanding his resignation.
