I received the book, Glenn Knight – The Prosecutor last Saturday as a gift. It was personally autographed by Glenn Knight, addressed to me. It is one of the best books I’ve read so far.
The book written by Singapore’s first director of Commercial Affairs Department and former prosecutor is a gripping read, well organized with details of past cases Glenn Knight dealt with. In the past, some of the more sensational cases – like the Adrian Lim murders – were widely reported in the press. The book gives an insider view of those involved in the successful prosecution of the culprits. It is rare to get such a perspective of the legal process all the way from the police investigation to the Attorney General Chambers and to the courtroom drama leading to the conviction of the culprits.
Of all the cases mentioned, the 1985 Pan-El case is the most controversial even till today. In his book, Glenn Knight dropped the bombshell that the then promising and outstanding Chinese leader in Malaysia, Tan Koon Swan was “wrongly convicted.” That means that Tan Koon Swan was not responsible for the collapse of Pan-El leading to (among other things) a three-day closure of the stock exchanges in Singapore and Malaysia.
If Tan Koon Swan was not derailed by the Pan-El debacle which resulted in his conviction and leading to his bankruptcy, ultimately ruining his political career forever, Ling Liong Sik wouldn’t stand a chance. Things would have been very different. Tan Koon Swan would have been a minister in Malaysia today. Is it heaven’s will? They say man proposes but heaven disposes!
Glenn Knight writes ..
“This was a most surprising conclusion as it indicated that not only had I erred, but that four other distinguished judges including Justice Lai, who first heard the Koon Swan case, and his predecessor Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin had also got it wrong. Chief Justice Yong concluded that it was wrong to convict anyone for stealing money if the wrong charge had been used to begin with. As he was considered to be a good judge, everyone had to accept that Koon Swan had been wrongly convicted and that I was forced to accept that I was wrong too. I also had to accept that if I had erred, then senior judges like Justice Frederick Arthur Chua in the Tay Choo Wah case as well as the judges involved in Koon Swan’s case, were also wrong. The judgement shattered my belief in our legal system. (The Pan-El Debacle Page 163)”
When I was reading through the past cases mentioned in the book, I can’t help thinking of the pivotal role played by brilliant lawyers as defense counsels. If you possess influence or can afford expensive skillful lawyers to defend you, your chances of acquittal – or a slap on the wrist – are better. Otherwise, you are a goner right from the beginning! Two persons charged with the same crime can end up with different punishments, one can be jailed, the other can get off with a light fine.
What else is new? With tons of money you can hire the best lawyers, pay the best for the best medical care and live longer! If you don’t have lots of money, you better not get charged in court or get warded in hospital. That’s the sad reality of life. The pauper is always the born loser.
In my previous life, I have heard a lot about Glenn Knight. He was a legend, a man whose reputation preceded him. I’ve met him many times when we were serving different bosses but we have never had the opportunity to speak with each other. Only on one occasion (three years ago) at the wedding of Lohcifer’s daughter, did I finally have the chance to enjoy a conversation with this great Singaporean.
This book is a must read for all lawyers, police officers and those in the law enforcement agencies. It’s also a great read for all Singaporeans and Malaysians as well as fans of TV programs like Crime Watch.
Tan Koon Swan ‘wrongly prosecuted’
Posted on 10 September 2012 – 09:27pm
Last updated on 11 September 2012 – 08:37am
Kong See Hoh
KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 11, 2012): The admission by former top Singapore public prosecutor that he wrongly prosecuted businessman and former MCA president Tan Koon Swan in the Pan El Industries case in 1985 made top news in all the major Chinese papers yesterday.
Glenn Knight said he felt extremely pained for putting Tan behind bars on discovering his mistake years later, and he had since apologised to Tan.
Tan was slapped with 15 charges of fraud, cheating, stock market manipulation and abetment of criminal breach of trust (CBT) in the collapse of Pan El. He was sentenced to 18 months jail and fined S$500,000 (RM1.2 million) upon conviction in 1986.
The case and its outcome not only changed the fate of Tan and MCA but also greatly impacted on the Malaysian Chinese community and political scene. Tan quit as MCA president following his conviction.
Pan El’s collapse also caused the Singapore and Malaysian stock markets to halt trading for three days. The high-profile Pan El case resulted in Knight being awarded the Public Administration Gold Medal.
In his just-released book, “Glenn Knight The Prosecutor”, Knight, 63, talked of the many high-profile cases he handled, as well as his admission of the wrongful prosecution of Tan.
In the book, he said, in 1996, a case similar to Tan’s came up for hearing and Chief Justice Yong Pung How “concluded that I was wrong to charge Tan for the offence”.
The judge was of the opinion that the section Knight had charged Tan with was wrong, for they could not charge a person for stealing from a company because as a director, it was not a breach of the law in that sense.
Knight admitted his mistake in the book and said he apologised to Tan in 2010.
He said Tan was very emotional on hearing the matter.
Meanwhile, Nanyang Siang Pau said Tan, who is currently overseas, is taking a very cautious stand regarding the development, and would not make any comment for the moment.
In 1991, Knight himself was charged with CBT and later jailed in Singapore.
PS: Today is also the 72th birthday of Mr Tan Koon Swan. I wish him good health. May he live till a hundredth.