Conflict-of-interest Issues in Competition Commission of Singapore's Investigations against Government-linked Companies

70 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) what safeguards are instituted by the Ministry to ensure that investigations carried out by the Competition Commission of Singapore against Government-linked companies (GLCs) or companies predominantly owned by Statutory Boards and/or GLCs are free from conflicts of interests.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Private sector entities, regardless of ownership, are required to comply with the Competition Act. Entities in specified sectors, such as media, telecommunications, gas and electricity, which are regulated by other Government regulatory agencies, are excluded from the Competition Act.

Private sector entities which engage in anti-competitive activities can be investigated by the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS). The First Schedule of the Competition Act requires any member of the Commission who may have a vested interest in a business being investigated to declare this interest and recuse himself or herself where deliberations or decisions involving that business may take place.