Whistleblowing

  1. The Ministry of National Development (MND) has adopted a Whistleblowing Framework that provides a platform for individuals to raise concerns on possible improprieties that involve MND’s employees, Implementing Agencies, and/or Grantees in their governance of publicly funded Research and Development (R&D) grants (e.g., Fraudulent acts by a researcher engaged in research work under a publicly-funded R&D project).
  2. Whistleblowers should report their concerns in good faith. We encourage whistleblowers to provide their names and contact details in case further information or clarifications are required. MND’s ability to follow up with the alleged incident may be limited if we are unable to contact the informant on follow-up questions, if any.
  3. To the extent feasible and permissible under the law, MND will make every effort not to reveal the identity of the whistleblower.

Types of R&D grant governance-related Improprieties

  1. Possible improprieties include, but are not limited to, the following:
  2. Fraud. This generally relates to the use of deception or misrepresentation to obtain an unjust advantage. It can also involve cheating, kickbacks, forgery or theft. Corrupt conduct is deliberate or intentional wrongdoing, not negligent or a mistake. It can take many forms including seeking, obtaining, offering secret commissions, bribery, theft, embezzlement, forgery, falsification or fraudulent alteration of documents and submission of fictitious documents.
  3. Questionable Practices. Broadly, this refers to deliberate breach or circumvention of internal policies, such as Government Instruction Manuals (IMs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and internal staff policies. This involves all forms of research misconduct, including misuse of research funding, misrepresentation of eligibility, manipulation of the research process or wilfully misrepresenting its outcomes, plagiarism and other wrongdoings such as violation of regulations and failure to comply with applicable ethical codes, misuse of human research subjects and conflict of interest.

Reporting

  1. To enable MND to effectively investigate your concerns, the following information should be provided, where possible:
    1. Name(s) of person(s)/company(ies) involved;
    2. Name of Funding Initiative and/or Project [including Project ID], where applicable;
    3. Date, time and location of incident;
    4. Frequency of occurrence of the incident;
    5. Value of any money or assets involved;
    6. Supporting documents, evidence (e.g. photos, videos, documents), if any;
    7. Have this been reported to National Research Foundation or other parties through any other channels/procedures? If reports were made to other parties, to whom have you made the report;
    8. Any other information that may substantiate the concern.

     

  2. The MND whistle-blowing email address for R&D-related matters is whistleblow@mnd.gov.sg. For reporting on non-R&D matters, please direct your email to the relevant departments or agencies.

     

  3. You may also write to us at:

Director of Internal Audit
Ministry of National Development
5 Maxwell Road #21-00
Tower Block MND Complex
Singapore 069110